Viktor Lê wore the captain's armband for the Vietnam U23 team in the match against Syria.
Vietnamese-born midfielder Viktor Lê caused a surprise when coach Kim Sang Sik gave him the captain's armband for the Vietnam U23 team in the friendly match against Syria U23 in Qatar.
As part of a crucial training camp in Qatar in preparation for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship, the Vietnam U23 team faced Syria U23 on the afternoon of December 30th (local time). The match was not only an opportunity to assess the team's strength but also witnessed a notable personnel decision from coach Kim Sang Sik regarding the captain's armband.
Experimenting with team formations and leadership roles.
Entering the first half, coach Kim Sang Sik fielded a starting lineup featuring many familiar faces: Trung Kien, Ly Duc, Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh, Minh Phuc, Phi Hoang, Thai Son, Xuan Bac, Khuat Van Khang, Vi Hao, and Dinh Bac. With his extensive experience, midfielder Khuat Van Khang took on the role of captain in the early stages of the match.
However, in the second half, the South Korean strategist made a series of personnel changes to experiment. Most notably, the captain's armband was handed to Viktor Le. This change was not only a test of the position but also showed the coaching staff's increasing trust in the Russian-born midfielder.
The perseverance of the Vietnamese-born midfielder.
This isn't the first time Viktor Lê has been entrusted with leading the Vietnamese U23 team's play. Previously, in a friendly match against Chinese Taipei in July, he also served as captain for one half. Although his goal and assist statistics haven't been spectacular, Viktor Lê's discipline and tactical adaptability are major plus points in the eyes of coach Kim Sang Sik.
Since making history as the first overseas Vietnamese player to win a SEA Games gold medal (at the 33rd SEA Games after defeating Thailand U22), Viktor Lê is on the verge of setting a new milestone. He has the opportunity to become the first overseas Vietnamese player to participate in an Asian U23 Championship final tournament, confirming that the trend of attracting Vietnamese-born talent is proving effective for Vietnamese football.
Squad changes ahead of the tournament.
Besides the positive signs from Viktor Lê, the Vietnam U23 team also faces bad news regarding its squad. Striker Thanh Nhàn has suffered a serious injury and is likely to be the last player to leave the team, missing the upcoming continental campaign.
The friendly match against U23 Syria is the final crucial test for coach Kim Sang Sik to finalize the official squad list. The presence and efforts of players like Viktor Le are expected to bring a fresh perspective to the Vietnamese U23 team's playing style at this continental-level competition.