Tiến Linh talks about the chance to surpass coach Lê Huỳnh Đức: 'I don’t pay much attention...'

Forward Nguyễn Tiến Linh shows confidence before the upcoming rematch with Nepal and discusses the possibility of surpassing Lê Huỳnh Đức to become Vietnam’s second highest goal scorer.

On the afternoon of October 13, head coach Kim Sang Sik and forward Nguyễn Tiến Linh attended a press conference ahead of the Asian Cup 2027 qualifying rematch against Nepal.

The forward born in 1997 stated: "Tomorrow is the first match of the second leg in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers for Vietnam. After the game against Nepal, we trained hard to perform better in tomorrow’s match. We are eager and determined to play even better. Hopefully, we will perform well in front of our home fans after many months away from Thống Nhất Stadium. The team’s goal is to secure 3 points."Tiến Linh affirmed.

Ahead of this match, Tiến Linh has a great opportunity to equalize or even surpass the goal tally of legendary player Lê Huỳnh Đức for the national team. Specifically, Tiến Linh currently has 26 goals, ranking third and just one goal behind Lê Huỳnh Đức, who holds second place.

Regarding this, the 1997-born player said he doesn’t focus too much on it but prioritizes the team’s overall success:"Being third on the list of top scorers for the national team isn’t something I pay much attention to. Just being able to play and contribute is an honor for me. My goal is to be on the field, give my best, and enjoy playing with my teammates, whether in the national team or club. As a striker, I want to score many goals to help the team win."

"Coach Lê Huỳnh Đức has encouraged me a lot. He is a legend in Vietnamese football. I’m lucky to have worked with many top forwards. Training alongside these veterans is a valuable experience. Not only Coach Lê Huỳnh Đức, but many people have high expectations of me. I will try my best to live up to them," Tiến Linh opened up further.

At the end of the press conference, Vietnam’s number one striker also sent words of encouragement to the young players called up this time:"In recent training sessions, the young players have shown great determination and ambition. In the previous match, they had chances and performed well. That is valuable experience for them. I want to remind them to go on the field, enjoy, and give their all for the national colors.

They will gain many new experiences in the youth tournaments at the end of the year. I want the players to try hard and believe they will exceed the coaching staff’s expectations," Tiến Linh said.

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