Post-U23 Asian Championship 2026: The battle for survival of Dinh Bac and the young stars.

Vietnamese youth football has just concluded a brilliant period of success with a gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games and, especially, a historic bronze medal at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. Names like Nguyen Dinh Bac, Tran Trung Kien, and Nguyen Hieu Minh have risen to prominence, becoming new symbols of hope for fans. However, as the spotlight fades, a harsh reality awaits them: the challenging battle to establish themselves in the national team and a professional career.

The door to the national team: When the U23 jersey has become too tight.

Success at the youth level has never been a guaranteed ticket to a secure position in the national team. The goalkeeper position is the clearest example of this fierce competition. With only 3 regular call-ups, opportunities for young goalkeepers like Tran Trung Kien are extremely limited. Currently, the Vietnamese national team's goal is dominated by experienced players such as Nguyen Filip, Dang Van Lam, and most recently, Patrik Le Giang.

Besides, goalkeepers currently in top form in the V.League such as Nguyen Manh, Dinh Trieu, and Van Viet are also ready to compete fairly. In reality, the recent call-ups to the national team for Trung Kien and some other young players are more of a "strategic" move than an acknowledgment of their superior abilities. It's a way for managers to create opportunities for them to gain experience for future youth tournaments.

Notably, with the next generation of U23 players like Cao Van Binh needing training for the 2027 SEA Games, the door to the national team will become even narrower for the current generation unless they make a strong breakthrough at their respective clubs.

Pressure from V.League and the wave of naturalization

Not only are they facing difficulties at the national team level, but even at their clubs, the positions of U23 stars are not yet secure. A prime example is Nguyen Dinh Bac. Despite high expectations, the striker born in 2004 has yet to secure a regular starting spot at Hanoi Police FC (CAHN). His modest statistics, with only one goal in the AFC Champions League Two and a goal drought in the V.League, are a cause for concern.

Meanwhile, other players like Hieu Minh, Thanh Nhan, Xuan Bac, and Phi Hoang, despite getting more regular playing time, play for teams struggling to avoid relegation, such as PVF-CAND, Da Nang, and HAGL. While this environment offers opportunities for experience, it also carries the risk of hindering the development of top-level technical and tactical skills.

Furthermore, the wave of naturalization is strongly underway in the V.League with the emergence of names like Do Phi Long, Do Hoang Hen... The superior physique, fitness, and experience of these players inadvertently narrow the opportunities for young domestic players to play. This is a difficult personnel problem that V.League coaches must face.

Lessons from the past and solutions for the future.

Looking back at the "golden generation" of Changzhou 2018, we clearly see the harsh reality of professional football's elimination process. From the generation that achieved that miracle, only a few names like Quang Hai, Duy Manh, and Bui Tien Dung have maintained their peak performance and remained in the national team after eight years. The list of former heroes who have declined or disappeared from the map of top-level football is very long.

The current U23 team is facing a similar turning point. "Graduating" from youth level means they must enter the professional environment as mature players. They must compete fairly based on their actual abilities, no longer protected by the label of "rising star."

To avoid repeating the mistakes of their predecessors, Dinh Bac, Trung Kien, and their teammates need to redouble their efforts to seize even the smallest opportunities. Only true courage and professionalism will help them overcome the major challenges that await them in their careers.