The Ballon d'Or award and the short-lived joy, the long-term worry.

When Leo Messi was awarded this prestigious title, Ronaldo's fans and friendly newspapers immediately reacted, a common occurrence in football for many years. This rivalry is incredibly interesting and captivating, even though these two brilliant stars are nearing the end of their careers.

The story of Vietnamese football is simpler because there aren't many stars competing in an award. In the 2023 season, it wasn't difficult to predict that the Golden Ball award would be a contest between two national team players: Hoang Duc (The Cong Viettel) and Tuan Hai (Hanoi FC). Notably, as the season drew to a close, while Hoang Duc didn't perform well at his club and seemed to have fallen out of favor with the Vietnamese national team, Tuan Hai played exceptionally well in the AFC Champions League with Hanoi FC, leading many to believe that the player from Ha Nam would win his first prestigious award.

Yet, in the end, Hoang Duc received the Golden Ball award for the second time (2021 and 2023), despite Hoang Duc himself admitting that "Tuan Hai also deserves the Golden Ball." At first glance, this statement seems diplomatic, but upon closer examination, it's not without basis. Hoang Duc only helped Viettel finish third in the 2023 V-League, while Tuan Hai and Hanoi FC finished second and performed well for the National Team and in continental cups. Of course, all comparisons are flawed, but this illustrates that, at present, Vietnamese football lacks truly outstanding stars, and this selection process is merely a matter of "choosing the best from a bad bunch," as the saying goes.

There are two statements by Philippe Troussier, made at two different times, that need to be discussed. The first, made before the 2023 Asian Cup, was, "Hoang Duc could win the Golden Ball, but I need him to work harder…" and the second, more recent, noteworthy statement, "The Vietnamese national team doesn't have good strikers," is somewhat related to Tien Linh and Tuan Hai. These aren't typical or preferred statements from Vietnamese people, especially when it comes to top football stars. But for Europeans, for example, speaking frankly and truthfully is commonplace. For Philippe Troussier, it's even more normal, given his responsibility with both the Vietnam U23 team and the senior national team. Nearly a year of working with football players, training extensively, and participating in real matches at the SEA Games 32, the Asian Cup, and the second round of World Cup qualifiers... gave him a comprehensive and realistic perspective, both on individual players and on the team as a whole.

For Hoang Duc, his talent for ball control, dribbling, passing, spectacular finishing, and memorable goals in the V-League has been recognized and highly appreciated. However, with Coach Troussier, when joining the Vietnamese national team with a different system, Hoang Duc had to work harder, for example, to play faster, be more cohesive, and more decisive to fit in. If he played in his familiar midfield position, Hoang Duc once lost the ball due to a sideways pass that led to a goal conceded in the friendly match against China. When deployed as a striker to find goals, he didn't prove anything. Therefore, Hoang Duc was a substitute, not playing a single minute in the matches against the Philippines and Iraq, and then missed the Asian Cup due to injury.

Having won the Golden Ball for the second time and having had ample time to reflect and strive for a new direction, whether Hoang Duc will be trusted and reliable enough for the two crucial matches against Indonesia in March remains a difficult question to answer. After the loss to Indonesia in the Asian Cup, the pressure to use established key players like Hoang Duc and Hung Dung will force Coach Troussier to reconsider. But who can predict the outcome, who can foresee the strong personality of Coach Troussier, even with the threat of dismissal looming large?

Tuan Hai's story is clearer because, regardless of whether he's awarded gold or silver, a place in the Vietnamese national team's attack is unquestionable. Tuan Hai doesn't need to worry about whether he's "good or not," but he needs to strive to maintain consistent form, avoiding the inconsistent performances he's had in the past.

Each award ceremony is a celebration of the contributions of outstanding players, an opportunity for them to continue striving and progressing, first and foremost by proving themselves at their clubs and national teams. Currently, it goes without saying that both Hoang Duc and Tuan Hai almost immediately need to return to their clubs to help their teammates reclaim their rightful positions as top teams in the V-League. Both The Cong Viettel and Hanoi FC are facing significant difficulties this season, despite constantly changing coaches in an attempt to turn things around, but things haven't improved much.

Someone jokingly said, but it seems quite thought-provoking, that "Joy is fleeting" or "Forced joy is bad, lest it be...". Indeed, how can Hoang Duc or Tuan Hai remain happy for long if the team continues to struggle and therefore remains a reserve for the Vietnamese national team because they are not yet suitable or haven't put in the effort as expected? Short-lived joy, long-lasting worry – that's the meaning behind it all.