Striker Nguyen Cong Phuong returns to the Vietnamese national team after nearly two years of absence.
Striker Nguyen Cong Phuong was called back to the Vietnam national team by coach Kim Sang Sik after nearly two years of absence. He became a notable highlight in the list of 23 players preparing for the match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
May 22, 2025,Coach Kim Sang-sikhas officially announced the list of 23 Vietnamese national team players preparing for the important match against the Malaysian team, within the framework of the second match of Group F, the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.
Besides the squad that won the ASEAN Cup 2024, the return of striker Nguyen Cong Phuong is the biggest highlight, bringing high expectations from fans.
After nearly 2 years of absence from the national team since the friendly match with Palestine in September 2023, Cong Phuong has made an impressive comeback. The striker born in 1995 is leading the scoring list in the 2024/25 National First Division with 7 goals for Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc Club. His stable performance and inherent class have convinced coach Kim Sang-sik to include his name in the call-up list, a worthy recognition for the quiet efforts of the player who was once the number one hope of Vietnamese football.
The return of Cong Phuong is not only a story of expertise, but also has great spiritual significance. In a team that combines experience and youth, Cong Phuong is expected to bring inspiration, battle experience and the ability to create breakthroughs that not many current players can match.
The list of players called up this time continues to gather names that contributed greatly to the regional championship campaign at the end of last year, such as goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu, defenders Do Duy Manh, Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Pham Xuan Manh, Nguyen Van Vi, or midfielders Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Hai Long and Nguyen Hoang Duc. On the attack line, in addition to Cong Phuong, there are also Pham Tuan Hai and Nguyen Tien Linh, a duo that played well and effectively.
In addition to the familiar pillars, coach Kim Sang Sik also boldly gave opportunities to new faces. Notably, defender Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, a player of Vietnamese-French blood, just completed the naturalization procedure in March.
This will be the first time Quang Vinh wears the national team jersey. In the goalkeeper position, Nguyen Filip also marks his return after a period of absence due to family reasons, along with his high performance in the Hanoi Police Club jersey at the 2024/25 Southeast Asian Club Championship.
However,Vietnam teamThis time, the team also suffered a loss of strength with the absence of many key players due to injury such as Nguyen Xuan Son, Bui Vi Hao, Doan Ngoc Tan, Ho Tan Tai and Nguyen Van Toan. Most recently, defender Vu Van Thanh was also forced to withdraw after being injured in the second leg of the final of the Southeast Asian Club Championship.
According to the plan, the team will gather in Hanoi from May 29. Although Hanoi Police Club is still busy with the make-up match of round 20 of V.League on June 3, the team is still committed to creating the best conditions for the players to return to serve the country. This shows the unity and determination towards the highest goal: winning against Malaysia in the away match at Bukit Jalil Stadium on June 9.
This match is considered a "pivot" in the competition for the top spot in Group F, a position synonymous with a direct ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup Finals. And in that journey, Cong Phuong's return is not only a personal mark, but also an affirmation that true warriors never back down./.
