Who is the 'virtual number 9' that coach Troussier is nurturing in the Vietnam National Team?

Coach Philippe Troussier has experimented with many names in the striker position in the last 8 matches leading the Vietnam national team. However, most of the options that the French coach trusted did not leave much expectation. Even the real striker models like Tien Linh or Van Tung did not meet the requirements of the Vietnam national team captain.

Coach Troussier has tested a total of 4 players for the striker position, including Hoang Duc, Tien Linh, Van Tung and Tuan Hai. Hoang Duc is the player who has been given the most opportunities by the French coach, when the Viettel player started in the striker position in 4/8 matches. Meanwhile, Van Tung started 2 times and Tien Linh was only trusted by Coach Troussier once. The rest, Tuan Hai only started in this position in the 45 minutes of the second half in the match against Iraq in the 2nd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

The impression that these 4 faces left is not much. Therefore, Coach Troussier is considering the option of testing a new name, who is capable of causing a breakthrough, has the ability to support the development of the ball well, and meets the tactical requirements that Coach Troussier has set. The name that the French coach is considering is Nguyen Quang Hai, a player who played the position of false striker during his early time at Pau FC.

Coach Troussier's plan to use Quang Hai is relatively clear. The Hanoi Police player will sometimes play as a striker, sometimes drop back and play the role of an attacking midfielder so that the "runners" on the two wings like Tuan Hai and Van Toan have more space to make moves into the penalty area.

With a versatile player like Quang Hai, Coach Troussier really wants him to play in many different roles, with a wider range of activities, and to be considered the center of the attack for the Vietnam National Team. Returning to the match between the Vietnam National Team and the Syria National Team at the FIFA Days in June, that was the match in which Quang Hai was given freedom by Coach Troussier. Specifically, the 25-year-old player will not have a fixed position on the field but will have to move widely, sometimes on the left wing, sometimes on the right wing, sometimes entering the 16m50 area and playing the role of an attacking midfielder. In addition, Quang Hai's off-the-ball pressing ability is also quite impressive.

While Tien Linh, Van Tung and Hoang Duc have not been able to meet coach Troussier's requirements in some tactical aspects, Quang Hai is expected to be the player tested by the French coach before the 2023 Asian Cup finals.