Que Ngoc Hai and the leaders of Nghe An in the national team

Nguyen Huu Thang (1997- 1999)

Former central defender Nguyen Huu Thang participated in regional tournaments such as the 1995 SEA Games, 1996 Tiger Cup, 1997 SEA Games and 1998 Tiger Cup. The former player born in 1972 also participated in the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifying campaigns. With a fierce, fiery playing style and not afraid of collisions, Huu Thang is known as a famous central defender with a tough playing style.

Vietnam's uncrowned golden generation at Tiger Cup 1998. Photo: FBNV

In 1997, the captaincy of the national team was given to Huu Thang from Vo Hoang Buu (Saigon Port). The captain of SLNA was the leader of the golden generation of Hong Son, Viet Hoang, Sy Hung... participating in the Tiger Cup 1998 at home. Winning like a piece of bamboo at the Southeast Asian Championship that year, but in the final match, coach Alfred Riedl and his team regrettably lost to Singapore 0-1.

Right before the 2000 SEA Games, Huu Thang retired from the national team due to injury and the captaincy was handed over to Le Huynh Duc. During his playing career, Huu Thang won the Vietnam Silver Ball award in 1998.

Nguyen Huy Hoang (2007)

Center back Nguyen Huy Hoang is a red seed of Vietnamese football. He played for the U19 Vietnam team for two consecutive years from 1998 to 1999. 1998 was also the year Huy Hoang was promoted to the first team at the age of 17. The center back born in 1981 was the best player of Vietnamese football in 2001 after winning the V.League championship with SLNA.

From 2000 to 2003, Huy Hoang played for the U23 Vietnam team. At that time, the central defender duo Nhu Thanh - Huy Hoang were a real challenge for every defense but only won a silver medal at the 22nd SEA Games. At the age of 21, Huy Hoang participated in the Tiger Cup 2002 and played alongside his seniors Quang Truong and Huynh Duc and won third place. At the Tiger Cup 2007, he continued to win a bronze medal with the national team.

Center back Huy Hoang at Asian Cup 2007. Photo: Archive

One of the tournaments in which Huy Hoang left a strong impression was the 2007 Asian Cup. At this tournament, he was given the captain's armband, although the official captain of the Vietnamese team at that time was Minh Phuong. After stopping at the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup that year, Huy Hoang retired from the national team. He returned to the team to participate in the 2010 AFF Cup and won third place.

Nguyen Minh Duc (2010)

Song Lam Nghe An is the place that produces many talented central defenders. After Huu Thang, Van Luu, Huy Hoang, Nguyen Minh Duc is a player considered to be of high class because of his calm and intelligent playing style. The central defender born in 1983 is the captain of the Vietnam U16 team, the generation of Van Quyen and Nhu Thuat that made a splash at the 2000 U16 Asian Cup.

In his playing career, Minh Duc has never received a red card and very rarely received a yellow card. He was called up to the national team in 2007 and in the 2008 AFF Cup championship of Vietnamese football, Nhu Thanh - Minh Duc was the central defender pair that coach Calisto chose before Phuoc Tu was given the opportunity.

Center back Nguyen Minh Duc and the captain's armband of the Vietnam National Team in 2012. Photo: FBNV

In 2010, after Minh Phuong retired from the national team, Minh Duc had the honor of being given the captain's armband of the Vietnam national team at the AFF Cup 2012. Unfortunately, that was the tournament where coach Hoang Van Phuc and his team had to stop right at the group stage. Minh Duc retired in 2017 and currently holds a B-class coaching license - AFC.

Le Cong Vinh (2014 - 2016)

Le Cong Vinh is the only striker who grew up in SLNA to be captain of the national team. The former player born in 1985 holds the record for most appearances for the national team (85 matches) and most goals scored (51 goals).

Le Cong Vinh has been playing for the national team since 2004 and won the Vietnam Golden Ball award that year. At the 2014 AFF Cup, Le Cong Vinh wore the captain's armband under coach Toshiya Miura when he was 29 years old. However, that year, Cong Vinh and his teammates lost in the semi-finals to Malaysia.

Le Cong Vinh at AFF Cup 2016. Photo: VFF

At the 2016 AFF Cup, Le Cong Vinh continued to be assigned by coach Huu Thang to lead the team as a leader, but the "legendary" player of Vietnamese football had to leave the national team in tears. Forever after, people will remember Le Cong Vinh for his goal against Thailand in the 2008 AFF Cup final.

Que Ngoc Hai (2018 - present)

Although he is a latecomer and has experienced many hardships in his career, central defender Que Ngoc Hai is the most typical and successful case among the players who grew up from SLNA and wore the captain's armband when playing for the Vietnam National Team. From professional ability, personality, and playing style, the player born in 1993 possesses all the qualities of a true leader.

Since playing for the U19 Vietnam team, Que Ngoc Hai was chosen as captain. Coming to the U23 Vietnam team under coach Toshiya Miura, Que Ngoc Hai continued to be the captain participating in the 2016 U23 Asian Cup and the 28th SEA Games.

Center back Que Ngoc Hai is the current captain of the Vietnam national team. Photo: Trung Kien

In the national team, Ngoc Hai was given this responsibility at the age of 25. At the AFF Cup 2018, although Van Quyet was elected captain, since the semi-finals and finals, Que Ngoc Hai has been the captain of the national team. In the second championship of the Vietnam national team, Ngoc Hai's influence and supporting role are very large.

At the 2019 Asian Cup, leader Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates continued to make a splash when they reached the quarterfinals and then defeated Thailand at the 2019 King's Cup. Currently, Que Ngoc Hai and the Vietnamese national team are leading Group G in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers.

However, after more than 7 years of playing at the top level, Ngoc Hai has never once tasted the feeling of winning the V.League championship. At the age of 27, Que Ngoc Hai has played 46 matches for the national team and the road ahead is still very long. He is currently playing for Viettel Club and in the coming years, Vietnamese football will have a hard time finding a more worthy leader.

Que Ngoc Hai replaced coach Huu Thang to 'take revenge' against Indonesia

(Baonghean.vn) - Before the match against Indonesia, Vietnamese football did not have good results. The pain of the SEA Games and AFF Cup was still there, but after the match, Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates made even the most demanding audience satisfied.