Thanh Nhàn risks missing the U23 Asian Championship: A major blow for Vietnam U23 team.
The 1-2 defeat against U23 Syria in a friendly match in Qatar not only provided valuable professional lessons but also left U23 Vietnam facing a personnel setback as striker Thanh Nhàn suffered a torn calf muscle injury.
As part of their preparations for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship, the Vietnam U23 team played an important friendly match against Syria U23 on the afternoon of December 30th (local time) in Qatar. The match ended with a 1-2 victory for the West Asian team, but the coaching staff's biggest concern was the personnel situation in the attacking line.
Thanh Nhàn's injury nightmare
Striker Thanh Nhàn, one of the key tactical players, has suffered a serious calf muscle tear. This injury has prevented him from participating in the friendly match against Syria and puts him at a high risk of having to leave the national team before the start of the official tournament.
This news came as a shock to the player personally. The 2026 AFC U23 Championship is considered the last continental youth tournament of Thanh Nhàn's career. The absence of a striker with speed and decisive finishing ability will be a difficult problem for the coaching staff in finding a dynamic replacement in the attack.
The cruelty of fate
Notably, this is not the first time Thanh Nhàn has missed major tournaments due to health reasons. The hero who brought home the SEA Games 33 gold medal for Vietnamese football seems to be plagued by bad luck, as he previously had to miss the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship due to a similar injury.
The loss of Thanh Nhàn forced the Vietnam U23 team to readjust their official 23-player roster. From the initial 25-man squad (including 23 players who had just won the SEA Games and two additional players, Lê Văn Hà and Bùi Vĩ Hào), the lineup has constantly changed due to medical issues.
Personnel changes just days before the opening ceremony.
Before heading to Qatar, the team lost Dang Tuan Phong due to a recurring injury. Subsequently, goalkeeper Nguyen Tan also encountered problems, forcing Pham Dinh Hai to receive an urgent call-up to ensure the minimum number of three goalkeepers required by the AFC regulations.
The narrow defeat against U23 Syria revealed certain weaknesses in the defensive system and the finishing ability of the forwards when key players were absent. Given the extremely tough group stage at the U23 Asian Championship, featuring many top teams, these less-than-positive signs regarding the squad pose a significant challenge to the ambitions of the Vietnam U23 team.
