Pham Xuan Manh - The new 'lungless man' in the Vietnam National Team

"The man without lungs"

The nickname "lungless man" was once given to the once notorious right-back of the Vietnam National Team - Trong Hoang. With his tenacious playing style, rhythmic and powerful attack and defense, Trong Hoang brought fear to many visiting team's defenses. The Championship Cup won by the Vietnam National Team in 2018 had a great contribution from Trong Hoang.

And now, after the "Golden Star Warriors" won the 2024 Asean Cup, the phrase "lungless man" is once again mentioned. This time, that affectionate nickname is forPham Xuan Manh.

Indeed, Pham Xuan Manh has left an unforgettable impression in the hearts of fans on the journey to the throne of the Vietnamese Team at the 2024 Asean Cup.

During that journey, Pham Xuan Manh was assigned by coach Kim Sang-sik to play in many different positions, sometimes as a right-back, left-back and sometimes as a right-sided center-back. It is worth mentioning that in every position, the player born in 1996 left a strong impression. With his abundant physical strength, not afraid of collisions, playing with alertness and dedication, Xuan Manh became the nightmare of many opponents.

Recalling the second leg of the 2024 Asean Cup final, after Vietnam scored an equalizer to tie the score at 2-2, the Thai team put tremendous pressure on Dinh Trieu's goal. In the 85th minute, the home team made a dangerous pass into the Vietnamese team's penalty area. Xuan Manh, with his stamina, made an incredible jump to clear the ball over the tip of his shoe, depriving Thailand of a chance to score.

After that successful save, Xuan Manh received endless applause from the audience. And also from this spectacular clearance, the Vietnam team then scored another goal, thereby winning the Championship Cup in Thailand.

Statistics at the 2024 ASEAN Cup show that Xuan Manh played 6 matches with 531 minutes on the field. This shows that the 28-year-old defender is very important in coach Kim Sang-sik's tactics. Until the last seconds, Xuan Manh always showed abundant energy, showing no signs of physical exhaustion. This is an important factor that helps the Vietnamese team have a solid defense, thereby winning this tournament.

It can be affirmed that Xuan Manh has deservedly inherited the nickname "lungless man" of former player Trong Hoang. The defender from Yen Thanh is the silent hero in the championship that the Vietnamese team won at the Asean Cup 2024. With his inner strength, will and perseverance, hopefully Xuan Manh will continue to write the story of the "lungless man" in the future with the Vietnamese team.

Willpower to overcome difficulties

Behind the halo that Xuan Manh is currently enjoying, few people know that he had a difficult childhood. His father had to sell his buffalo to have money for his son to pursue a career in football.

That is what has helped Xuan Manh have extraordinary determination in training and competing. The defender from Yen Thanh was once used as a model by coaches at the Nghe An youth football training center to teach his students. The coaches said that it is rare to see a player with such determination and willpower as Xuan Manh. When each training session ended, players of the same age quickly left the field, but Xuan Manh stayed behind, practicing his techniques and gaining more physical strength.

And it was that determination that helped Xuan Manh overcome to create a miracle in Changzhou. However, after this tournament, Xuan Manh suffered an injury and lost the chance to be called up to the national team.

After that, Xuan Manh could no longer prove his importance in the eyes of coach Park Hang-seo or coach Troussie. And this was also the time when Xuan Manh once again found himself. He proved his determination and perseverance in training and competing. In the 2024 season, Xuan Manh was considered the number 1 influential player at Song Lam Nghe An Club.

This is also the key for Hanoi Club to want to get the signature of the defender from Yen Thanh. Throughout the 2024/25 season, Xuan Manh had an excellent performance in the capital team's shirt. That convinced coach Kim Sang-sik when he was named in the list of the Vietnam National Team for the 2024 Asean Cup.

This return to the national team was truly a success for Xuan Manh. Only determination, perseverance, and seriousness in training and living can bring him such sweet things.

Duc Anh