U19 Song Lam Nghe An defender and his 'unique' throw-ins

"Cannon" on the border

At the 2025 National U19 Tournament Finals, experts and fans were surprised to see the young defender ofU19 Song Lam Nghe Anwith the ability to create breakthroughs from seemingly harmless throw-ins. Player Nguyen Tan Minh, born in 2007, from Dung town, Thanh Chuong district, is the bright spot in the U19 Nghe An squad.

Few people know that Tan Minh started his career as a goalkeeper. The turning point came in 2018, during the entrance exam at the Song Lam Nghe An youth team. Realizing that the team had enough goalkeepers, the 11-year-old boy boldly asked to try his hand at the defender role. With an ideal physique and a strong physical foundation, Tan Minh quickly won the trust of the coaches and was arranged to play as a right-back.

With his passionate playing style, good speed and the ability to cross the ball with both feet, Tan Minh quickly asserted his ability in the SLNA youth teams. However, the most special thing that made him stand out was his ability to throw long and tricky lines - a powerful tactical weapon of U19 Song Lam Nghe An in this year's tournament. "I think going to the gym early has helped me gain the strength to make outstanding line throws," Tan Minh shared.

Statistics from the qualifying round and the final round of the 2025 National U19 Cup show that Tan Minh had 9 assists, including 3 situations from throw-ins with strong personal marks. Most notably, in the quarter-final match against U19 Viettel, where Tan Minh's powerful throw-in created conditions for striker Phung Van Nam to head the ball for center-back Van Tam to score, contributing significantly to the home team's overall victory.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Tan Minh is the "successor" of Pratama Arhan - the Indonesian national team defender famous for his "deadly" throw-ins. With an impressive physical foundation and sharp tactical thinking, Tan Minh has become an important link in the tactical scheme of U19 Song Lam Nghe An.

Football is passion, family is motivation

Behind the image of a passionate defender on the field is a touching story about family affection, a factor that has had a great impact on Tan Minh's career.

At the end of 2018, when he was just admitted to the Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center, Tan Minh was just a mischievous and somewhat undisciplined 11-year-old boy. He was even at risk of being expelled from the center. The turning point came when his grandmother traveled from her hometown to visit, not minding the long distance, she cried and begged the teachers to create conditions for her grandson to have another chance. "At that time, I only felt sorry for her. From that day on, I told myself I had to change, I couldn't make her sad anymore," Minh recalled.

Since then, Tan Minh has made efforts to adjust himself, embarking on a disciplined and serious training journey. Every day, he wakes up at 4am to practice skills such as crossing, shooting with his left foot, handling the ball... and maintains this habit for two consecutive years. Thanks to that hard work, at the 2020 National U13 Tournament, Tan Minh was trusted to be a starter and won the championship with the team.

The success did not stop there. In 2022, wearing the U15 Song Lam Nghe An jersey, Tan Minh continued to win the National U15 Championship with his teammates. He still clearly remembers the semi-final match against U15 Hoang Anh Gia Lai, where he had a direct assist and was the one who initiated the situation leading to the second goal, helping the home team win a ticket to the final match.

When asked about his role model, Tan Minh did not hesitate to mention national team player Vu Van Thanh. The defender of the Hanoi Police Club is someone he admires for his simple, effective playing style and tenacious fighting spirit. "I learned a lot from him, from the way he moves, reads situations to the spirit of never giving up on the field," Tan Minh expressed his admiration.

With his impressive performance at the 2025 National U19 Tournament, where Song Lam Nghe An won the Silver Medal, Tan Minh has attracted the attention of many teams in the Second and Third Divisions. The decision to join FC Bac Ninh, an ambitious young team, is considered the next step in the journey to assert himself for the young defender from Nghe An.

"This year's U19 tournament is an important stepping stone for me to get closer to professional football. I hope to soon be noticed by the coaches of Song Lam Nghe An's first team and have the opportunity to play in the V-League in the near future," Tan Minh shared about his aspirations.

From a mischievous boy who was almost eliminated from the training center, Nguyen Tan Minh has now become a promising defender with great aspirations and "special" throw-ins. He is working hard every day to make his dream of becoming a bright player in the future come true.