Que Ngoc Hai left Dong A Thanh Hoa and moved to SHB Da Nang.

Que Ngoc Hai will leave Dong A Thanh Hoa right after round 11 of V.League 2025/26 to move to SHB Da Nang. The match against HAGL at Pleiku Stadium will be the last time the former captain of the Vietnamese national team will wear the Thanh Hoa team's shirt.

This is surprising because before the season, Que Ngoc Hai had just signed a three-year contract with Thanh Hoa. However, injury problems have limited him to only 6 appearances since the beginning of the season and recently he has mainly appeared in the final stages of matches, significantly limiting his professional and emotional influence in the dressing room.

Reasons and context: injuries, finances and personnel turnaround

The decision to part ways comes amid Thanh Hoa’s financial difficulties and the recent farewell to coach Choi Won Kwon. With a squad lacking depth, releasing an experienced central defender like Que Ngoc Hai shows that the club is forced to prioritize balancing resources, even though he was initially expected to be a pillar of the defense.

Immediate impact on the rankings

Thanh Hoa currently has 8 points, ranking 11th, just 1 point ahead of SHB Da Nang. Da Nang has only won 7 points after 11 rounds and is in crisis at the bottom of the rankings. The fragile gap and personnel changes make the relegation race between the two teams more tense in the second leg.

Tactical perspective: why Da Nang needs Que Ngoc Hai

SHB Da Nang are looking for a leader in the defense. According to internal assessment, the presence of Que Ngoc Hai can help stabilize the spirit and improve the quality of defense - two factors that are bottlenecks. In the role of experienced center back, he is expected to bring an organizational voice, command rhythm in the defense and calmness in set-piece situations. These things do not change the system overnight, but can be the foundation for the Han River team to stop the decline.

Consequences for East Asia Thanh Hoa

For Thanh Hoa, losing an experienced “support” in the midst of imperfect rotation of forces will create a gap that is difficult to fill, both on the field and in the locker room. Notably, not only Que Ngoc Hai, two other important players of Thanh Hoa are also said to be moving to Da Nang when the second leg begins. If that scenario happens, the Thanh team will not only be weakened in terms of personnel but also face the risk of running out of breath in the battle for survival points.

The moment of farewell in Pleiku

The match against HAGL at Pleiku Stadium will therefore signify the end of a short chapter of Que Ngoc Hai with Thanh Hoa. Although his playing minutes were less than expected due to injury, his presence was still seen as a professional support that the team expected when signing a three-year contract. The early end was something few expected, but reflected the harsh reality of a season full of ups and downs.

Professional and spiritual highlights: leading role and integration problem

For SHB Da Nang, the challenge is not just adding a center back, but also how to fit him into the defensive structure to develop his commanding ability. Expecting “immediately” is always risky, but if this addition helps the Han River team tighten positional discipline, communicate better in the defensive block and be more confident in pressure situations, they will have the basis to accumulate points.

On the opposite side, Thanh Hoa must quickly restructure its force after parting ways with coach Choi Won Kwon and its key players. When the gap with the bottom group is only 1 point, any organizational or psychological error can cost them their position on the rankings.