Cao Van Binh and his journey to becoming the number one goalkeeper.

Cao Văn Bình is currently the number one goalkeeper for the Vietnam U20 national team. Photo: Chung Lê

A turning point in life

In Hamlet 10, Dien Thanh Commune, Dien Chau District, if you ask about Cao Van Binh, the young people in the village all give the same answer: "He's a great football player, a killer in the penalty area."

Cao Van Binh was once known as a notorious striker throughout the villages and hamlets of Dien Thanh commune. Recalling his early years at just 10 years old, Binh was already a bright student and a talented footballer. During his five years at Dien Thanh Primary School, the goalkeeper, born in 2005, consistently achieved top honors at the school level. In addition, Binh possessed a natural goal-scoring ability. In football tournaments organized by the school, Binh was always a terror to opposing defenses. This primary school student from Dien Thanh commune led his team to victory in various school and commune-organized competitions. With this reputation, Binh quickly caught the eye of coaches from the Dien Chau District Cultural, Sports and Communication Center. In 2016, Binh was called up to the district's children's football team to participate in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament.

However, few people know that the turning point in the life of national team player Cao Van Binh began here. Joining the Dien Chau children's football team, Binh played the role of a striker, the team's main goalscorer. But during a training session before a tournament, the Dien Chau goalkeeper at that time did not meet the professional requirements. The Dien Chau coach decided to give Binh a try in this new role.

Cao Van Binh recalled: “The goalkeeper on the team that day wasn't playing well and conceded many goals. It was a shame that all the goals I'd scored for the team were being conceded so easily, so I went down to try and fill in for him. I was only 11 years old then, but my physique and appearance were already more outstanding than my peers. That was also an advantage that helped me easily control the goal.”

Entering the 2016 Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament in his new role, Binh performed excellently, frustrating many opposing strikers. Besides his ability to protect his team's goal, the goalkeeper born in 2005 also played a crucial role in effectively transitioning the team from defense to attack. Thanks to his skillful footwork, Binh always provided excellent support to his teammates in coordinating and moving the ball from the back of the field to the front, disrupting the opposing defense.

However, at the end of that year's tournament, the Dien Chau children's football team, due to a lack of luck, had to stop at the quarter-finals.

Cao Van Binh recounted: “Although the team couldn't reach the final match, as a goalkeeper I managed to make a somewhat positive impression on the audience. These promising beginnings made me love my new position even more and gradually develop a passion for guarding the goal.”

With his confident goalkeeping skills, Cao Van Binh caught the eye of Song Lam Nghe An's scouts. His burning desire to play football led Binh to convince his parents to let him move to Vinh to pursue a career in the sport.

The difficult years at Song Lam Nghe An

While training with the Song Lam Nghe An youth teams, Binh didn't receive guidance from skilled goalkeeping coaches. Furthermore, his fear of the crowd was a reason why the goalkeeper born in 2005 frequently conceded unnecessary goals. Therefore, from U11 to U15, Binh was only a reserve goalkeeper in Song Lam Nghe An's youth teams. There were times when Binh lost faith in himself and considered giving up his passion for football to return home and continue his studies.

Binh said: “I’ve thought a lot about whether to return to my hometown or continue striving. My coaches are also quite worried about my future, because if I keep playing like this, it will be very difficult to maintain my position in professional football. But if I return, my future is also very uncertain. I can no longer maintain my academic performance as before, and it will be difficult to get into universities. Therefore, I am determined to overcome my weaknesses to continue pursuing a professional football career.”

There was a time when Binh lost faith in himself and thought about giving up his passion for playing football. Photo: Chung Le

Luck smiled upon Cao Van Binh when the U15 Song Lam Nghe An team participated in the National U15 Championship. At that time, the team's starting goalkeeper decided to leave training with Song Lam Nghe An to pursue a different path. Binh became the main goalkeeper for the U15 Song Lam Nghe An team. This was an opportunity for the goalkeeper from Dien Chau to make an impression and regain the trust of the professional coaches.

A turning point in my career.

Cao Van Binh's first few matches didn't impress the coaching staff much. The reason was that Binh still lacked confidence when facing the pressure of the stands and the coaches' doubts about his professional skills.

It wasn't until the match against U15 Viettel that Cao Văn Bình truly shone. A stroke of luck and a turning point for the U15 Sông Lam Nghệ An goalkeeper came when the coach of the U17 national team, Hoàng Anh Tuấn, was in the stands. Surprised by Cao Văn Bình's excellent saves and positioning, the coach decided to call him up to the U17 Vietnam national team.

Possessing excellent footwork skills is one of Cao Van Binh's strengths that helps him better control the penalty area. Photo: Chung Le

Cao Van Binh shared: “In the match against U17 Viettel, there were very few spectators in the stands, and the coaches encouraged me, creating a relaxed atmosphere. Because of that, I had an outstanding performance, saving U15 Song Lam Nghe An from conceding several goals. This is also the reason why the U17 Vietnam coach called me up to the national team.”

The door to a bright future for the goalkeeper from Dien Chau opened here. Joining the national team, Cao Van Binh was directly coached by Vo Van Hanh, a former outstanding goalkeeper for Song Lam Nghe An. This connection strengthened the bond between teacher and student. Coach Vo Van Hanh provided Cao Van Binh with a wealth of professional knowledge, helping the 2005-born goalkeeper to mature significantly in terms of skill, mindset, and competitive spirit.

Binh is now the number one goalkeeper in the Vietnamese national youth teams. In the U17, U19, U20, and U23 Vietnamese teams, Cao Van Binh has earned the trust of the coaching staff. The impressions he has made at these levels will serve as a springboard for Cao Van Binh's further development in the future.

Duc Anh