Brazil's star striker declines, Nam Dinh urgently needs Xuan Son

Brenner no longer maintains the explosive form he showed last season, causing Nam Dinh's attack to stall and increasing the longing for Nguyen Xuan Son.

The losing streak for the Nam Dinh team continues after a 1-3 defeat against Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two. In their last 10 matches across all competitions, they have only won 4, drawn 1, and lost 5. In the V.League, the team has repeatedly dropped points against Song Lam Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Hanoi Police, and Becamex TP.HCM, resulting in their current rank slipping to 10th out of 14, just 2 points above the relegation zone.

The significant decline in the attacking line is the main reason for Nam Dinh's downturn. Brenner – the striker expected to fill Nguyen Xuan Son’s role – has lost the explosive form he had last season.

In the second phase of the 2024/25 V.League, the Brazilian forward scored 6 goals and provided 6 assists in just 9 matches. However, entering the 2025/26 season, he has managed only 2 goals and 1 assist in 10 appearances, a statistic that disappoints the fans.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Xuan Son – once the soul of Nam Dinh’s attack – is still recovering from injury. Last season, he scored 11 goals in only 12 matches across the V.League and AFC Champions League, and in 2023/24 he even surpassed 30 goals.

It’s no surprise that coach Vu Hong Viet keeps emphasizing the desire for Xuan Son’s early comeback during the upcoming squad reinforcement period, planned for November. His return is expected to significantly boost Nam Dinh’s scoring efficiency and team morale.

Nam Dinh’s difficulties extend beyond the poor form of key players to a severely depleted squad. Besides Njabulo Blom being out for the season, the team has lost Caio Cesar, Kevin Pham Ba, Nguyen Phong Hong Duy, Ngo Duc Huy, and Nguyen Tuan Anh due to injuries. Striker Nguyen Van Toan has only recently been able to train lightly after knee surgery. With a patched-up roster and a weakened offense, Nam Dinh urgently needs a major boost to revive their performance for the rest of the season.