While Xuân Son remains unable to return to the pitch, Thép Xanh Nam Định is currently enduring a difficult streak in the V-League.
The Thép Xanh Nam Định club continues to face a disappointing run this V-League season with a loss to Công an Hà Nội in the fifth round.
Notably, this marks their third consecutive match without a win in Vietnam's top division. They drew against Công an TP.HCM before suffering defeats against Ninh Bình FC and most recently Công an Hà Nội. These three opponents are considered strong contenders for the V-League title this season, highlighting Nam Định’s poor start in the early phase.
During this forgettable run, Nam Định’s attacking stars have failed to make a significant impact. Key players such as Brenner, Romulo da Silva, Kyle Hudlin, Percy Tau, and Caio Cesar have yet to convert chances into goals effectively, contributing to the team’s unfavorable results.
Meanwhile, the most notable star, Nguyễn Xuân Son, remains sidelined due to injury. The forward born in 1997 has been confirmed to be out of action until early next year, coinciding with the start of the V-League’s second phase.
Therefore, if the attacking players cannot improve their current form, the pressure on Xuân Son will be immense, as he is expected to be the key offensive player for Nam Định upon his return to the field.
Previously, at his peak performance, Xuân Son was the driving force for Nam Định over the last two V-League seasons.
In the 2023/24 season, Xuân Son scored 31 goals in the V-League, setting a league record and playing a major role in leading the team to the championship. Although he played less in the previous season, he still made a mark by scoring seven goals in seven appearances, significantly helping Nam Định defend their title successfully.
Currently, Nam Định ranks 7th in the V-League standings with seven points, six points behind the top team Ninh Bình.