Xuan Son returns to Vietnam national team; Tran Thanh Trung misses appointment
Coach Kim Sang-sik announced the list of Vietnam's team for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers: Xuan Son returned after nearly a year; Thanh Trung was absent, Nguyen Filip was not called.
On the afternoon of November 6, the Vietnam national team announced the list of players to prepare for the match against Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. The highlight is that striker Nguyen Xuan Son returned after nearly a year of injury treatment, while midfielder Tran Thanh Trung did not participate in the U22 Vietnam team and goalkeeper Nguyen Filip continued to miss the national team.
Xuan Son returns to the Vietnam national team
Coach Kim Sang-sik announced the list of players for this training session to prepare for the match against Laos. According to the information given, Xuan Son officially returned to the team after nearly a year of absence due to injury, expected to add options to the attack.
The decision to recall Xuan Son also caused controversy as the player from Nam Dinh has only played in a few friendly matches at the club level and has not played officially in nearly 10 months. Giving him a chance at this time comes with risks in terms of ball feel as well as playing rhythm.
Goal frame: Van Lam, Dinh Trieu, Van Viet; Nguyen Filip continues to miss appointments
The three goalkeepers selected for the Vietnam team are Dang Van Lam, Nguyen Dinh Trieu and Nguyen Van Viet. Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien was transferred to the U23 Vietnam team to prepare for the SEA Games.
Nguyen Filip's case attracted attention when he continued to be absent from the lineup despite recovering from injury and starting in the match where CAHN lost 1-2 to Macarthur in the AFC Cup on the afternoon of November 6.
U22 Vietnam: Tran Thanh Trung is absent
Midfielder Tran Thanh Trung is not on the list of the upcoming training camp of U22 Vietnam. The player from Ninh Binh got injured in round 9 of V-League 2025-2026. According to the coaching staff, the priority now is to ensure physical fitness for the future instead of calling him up when he is not in full form.
Regional context and impacts
Malaysia and the risks of pursuing a lawsuit at CAS
Amid the scandal involving seven naturalized players, many opinions from the press, experts and former employees of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have called on the organization to abandon the intention of taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The reason emphasized is the risk of causing a wider negative impact on Malaysian football if it continues to pursue.
FIFA ASEAN Cup and challenges for Vietnam
Malaysian expert Raja Isa Raja Akram Shah said that the introduction of the FIFA ASEAN Cup – held during the FIFA Days calendar – will increase the level of competition and challenge the position of Vietnam and Thailand. He said: “I think the FIFA ASEAN Cup will bring many positive impacts. When organized under the official framework of FIFA, the tournament will certainly be more competitive, no longer dominated by teams like Thailand or Vietnam.”
Letter from FIFA President to VFF
FIFA President Gianni Infantino sent a letter to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and President Tran Quoc Tuan, acknowledging the VFF’s efforts in investing in and supporting women’s football. He expressed his wish to meet President Tran Quoc Tuan again soon to continue discussing the development orientation of Vietnamese football.
Professional impact before the match against Laos
Xuan Son’s return helps the Vietnamese team have another option up front, but the lack of playing rhythm for nearly 10 months is a variable that needs to be controlled by the coaching staff. In the goal frame, the choice of Dang Van Lam – Nguyen Dinh Trieu – Nguyen Van Viet shows the tendency to maintain stability and experience, while young goalkeepers like Tran Trung Kien are given priority to accumulate at the U23 level.
With the FIFA Days international schedule becoming more packed and regional competition increasing (FIFA ASEAN Cup), continuity in personnel and physical readiness will be key. Against Laos, the ability to control injury risks and optimize playing minutes for returning faces, such as Xuan Son, will be an important problem for coach Kim Sang-sik.
