Goalkeeper position of Vietnam National Team: The flag goes to Van Viet
With the current changes in the goalkeeper position in the National Team, young goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet of Song Lam Nghe An is full of opportunities to start for the first time in a major tournament.
Currently in the V.League and First Division, the Vietnamese team has many good and highly performing goalkeepers. Among them, goalkeepers such as Philip Nguyen (Hanoi Police), Dang Van Lam (Phu Dong Ninh Binh), Nguyen Dinh Trieu (Hai Phong), Nguyen Van Hoang (Hanoi), Nguyen Van Viet (Song Lam Nghe An), Tran Trung Kien (Hoang Anh Gia Lai), Trinh Xuan Hoang (Thanh Hoa) all deserve to be on the team at this time.
During this training session, preparing for the third qualifying round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027, Coach Kim Sang-sik The team selected the three best goalkeepers based on many evaluation criteria: Philip Nguyen, Nguyen Dinh Trieu and Nguyen Van Viet. However, Philip Nguyen had a family matter and asked to leave the team, while Dinh Trieu had a back injury, so goalkeepers Tran Trung Kien and Trinh Xuan Hoang were called up to replace him.
Thus, the starting position in the Vietnam National Team is currently a competition between 3 goalkeepers from Song Lam Nghe An, Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Dong A Thanh Hoa. Among them, goalkeeper Van Viet of Song Lam Nghe An has the advantage and is rated higher, in terms of both performance and experience. Under coach Troussier, Van Viet has participated in the Vietnam National Team in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers with his seniors Philip Nguyen and Dinh Trieu and is often called up to the Vietnam U23 Team.
Van Viet's performance in Song Lam Nghe An's shirt is also extremely impressive. Promoted by coach Nguyen Huy Hoang from V.League 2022, starting in V.League 2023, Van Viet has had 4 seasons in the highest level of Vietnamese football. Of which, in V.League 2023, there were 9 matches, equivalent to 810 minutes. In V.League 2023/24, Van Viet's performance is also very impressive with 24 matches, 2,160 minutes and in V.League 2024/25, there are 16 matches, 1,440 minutes, playing consistently and is the player who plays the most for Song Lam Nghe An.
With a height of 1m81, Van Viet is always considered an excellent goalkeeper in V.League thanks to his reflexes, situational judgment, tenacity and perfect footwork skills. In modern football, the ability to play with feet and make counter-attacking passes, coordinating with the front line is one of the mandatory criteria and Van Viet meets most of those requirements.
In terms of efficiency, in V.League 2024/25, the home team's defense is not stable but Van Viet has kept a clean sheet in 5 matches, in matches against SHB Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Hai Phong and Binh Dinh. In the National Cup, Van Viet also kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 victory in the Round of 16 match against SHB Da Nang and helpedLam River Nghe Anentered the quarterfinals of the National Cup this season.
In the two steadfast draws against Hanoi Police at Hang Day and Vinh Stadium, Van Viet's performance discouraged the opponent's strikers at least 5 times with his unbelievable saves.
At only 23 years old, Van Viet still lacks international experience and the ability to command the defense. These are two things that Van Viet needs time to improve himself further to become the leading goalkeeper of Vietnamese football, in the national team as well as a support for Song Lam Nghe An Club. Van Viet's chance to be the main goalkeeper in this training session is very big and is also an opportunity for Van Viet to step into the light, improve and mature./.
