Cong Vinh announces his farewell date from the Vietnam national team.
The top scorer in Vietnamese football history with 49 goals in 80 appearances for the national team will retire from the "red shirt team" after the upcoming important AFF Cup 2016 tournament.
A day after the 3-2 victory against Indonesia, Cong Vinh affirmed that the AFF Cup would be his last tournament for the national team.
“Football has given me so much. Just wearing the red flag on my chest is an honor for me and my whole family. I really wanted to make 100 appearances for the national team because it's not easy to achieve, but due to an injury at the 2010 AFF Cup, I couldn't do it. Nevertheless, 80 appearances is something to be very proud of,” Cong Vinh affirmed.
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| Cong Vinh is the striker who scored the historic goal that led the Vietnamese national team to victory in the 2008 AFF Cup. |
Cong Vinh is currently a player holding many records in Vietnamese football, including the record for the number of goals (49) and the number of appearances for the national team (80). He also expressed his belief that the younger generation will perform even more successfully in the future.
Cong Vinh added: “As the old bamboo dies, new shoots grow; that’s the inevitable law. The national team is in the process of transitioning to a younger generation that is more talented and ambitious. I will retire from the Vietnamese national team after the 2016 AFF Cup, regardless of the final result.”
"It's been a long time since the national team has had such a balanced and high-quality squad. The team has a harmonious blend of youth and experience. The young players bring something new, but they are still inexperienced, especially in major tournaments."
Cong Vinh cited the example of Indonesian and Malaysian teams, whose experienced players often perform poorly in friendly matches but consistently achieve high results in major tournaments.
The record holder from Nghe An province commented: “Young players like Xuan Truong, Cong Phuong, and Tuan Anh have good skills and have been tested in top Asian leagues. They need solid steps towards the future. I hope they will strive their best to achieve their desired results.”
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Regarding Vietnam's chances in the upcoming AFF Cup, Cong Vinh frankly admitted: "Thailand has surpassed us because they have a better national league, stronger clubs, and higher-quality players. They won the SEA Games twice in a row, the most recent AFF Cup, and the generation of players under coach Kiatisak understand each other perfectly, making them extremely formidable. Meanwhile, we are in a transitional period, so we have to try our best in every match."
Vietnam's top scorer believes the team's challenge isn't surpassing Thailand, but rather overcoming their own limitations before even thinking about Thailand. "We have a talented and promising generation for the future, but currently we're not as strong as Thailand. The whole team will try their best in every match, and if we reach the final, anything can happen because football always has surprises. The most important thing is to surpass ourselves," the Vietnamese captain stated.
Mr. Le Hoai Anh is the head of the Vietnamese national team delegation. VFF Vice President Tran Quoc Tuan stated that at a meeting of the VFF Standing Committee, it was unanimously agreed to appoint General Secretary Le Hoai Anh as the head of the national team delegation for the 2016 AFF Cup. According to Mr. Tuan, the AFF Cup runs from November to December, so there are many tasks to handle, and Mr. Hoai Anh's leadership is necessary. In parallel with leading the team, Mr. Hoai Anh will also have the opportunity to handle external relations during the tournament. |
According to Zing
