Quang Hải absent, an opportunity for Vietnam national team's backup players

04/10/2025 18:30:00 esportapi

Quang Hải is unable to participate for the Vietnam national team in October because of injury, which will create opportunities for younger midfielders.

Since he has not yet recovered from a right shoulder injury, midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải will be unavailable for the Vietnam national team’s October 2025 FIFA Days training camp, preparing for two matches against Nepal in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

On October 3rd, one day before the team gathering, Quang Hải underwent an MRI scan to assess the injury severity. The results indicated that he needs more rest to ensure proper recovery. Head coach Kim Sang Sik agreed with the medical advice and reported to the VFF leadership the decision to exclude Quang Hải from this training camp, encouraging him to focus on treatment.

Quang Hải vắng mặt, cơ hội cho các kép phụ của ĐT Việt Nam, 716267 — Quang Hải’s absence from the Vietnam national team due to injury

Quang Hải’s absence is certainly a significant loss for the Vietnam national team, as they miss an experienced star capable of creating many breakthroughs in midfield. However, his withdrawal also presents an opportunity for the team’s young midfielders to gain more playing time during this camp.

While Hoàng Đức is a guaranteed starter with high performance and leadership in midfield, the position alongside him remains uncertain. Among the candidates, young midfielder Xuân Bắc, who was called up to the national team for the first time after an impressive showing with the U23 Vietnam team, may be given a chance.

Quang Hải vắng mặt, cơ hội cho các kép phụ của ĐT Việt Nam, 716269 — An opportunity may arise for Xuân Bắc, a player newly called up for the first time

From a little-known young player, Xuân Bắc has now become a new hope in the Vietnam national team’s midfield. He performs well in controlling the tempo, distributing the ball, or playing as a shuttle midfielder. Besides Xuân Bắc, Khuất Văn Khang, who often plays as a left-back for the national team, might be considered to return to his natural central midfield position in Quang Hải’s absence.

Coach Kim Sang Sik will not call up any additional players as replacements, keeping the squad size at 23 players, matching the official registered number for competition.