The tallest central defender in the history of the Vietnam national team is favored to start for one reason

Dinh Quang Kiet might be the primary option in the U23 Vietnam’s three-central-defender setup at SEA Games 33.

On November 6, Coach Kim Sang Sik announced the list of 26 players for the Vietnam U22 team to gather for the fourth training camp of 2025, preparing for the CFA Team China Panda Cup 2025 international football tournament and aiming for SEA Games 33, which will be held in Thailand this December.

Notably in the center-back position, the 1.95m tall Dinh Quang Kiet was again called up to the U23 Vietnam squad. The young talent from HAGL is known as the tallest defender ever summoned to the national team since his first call-up at the end of August. Now, Dinh Quang Kiet has a chance to secure a starting spot in the U23 Vietnam team.

The three-man defense of U23 Vietnam has been fixed with three players: Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh, and Ly Duc. However, after winning the 2025 U23 Southeast Asia Championship, Ly Duc left HAGL and joined CAHN. While this seemed like a career advancement, it has actually caused difficulties for Ly Duc to establish himself.

Ly Duc has had limited playing opportunities at CAHN with only 3 matches since the start of the season, totaling just over 90 minutes on the pitch, whereas Dinh Quang Kiet has started all 9 matches for HAGL in this V-League season, playing full 90 minutes in 7 of them. The playing time difference between these two players is currently very significant.

Although Dinh Quang Kiet is naturally less experienced than Ly Duc, his consistent appearances in the V-League since the beginning of the season have greatly contributed to his development. The 2007-born center-back performs solidly, showing strengths in aerial duels and a passionate style of play that rivals Ly Duc.

Because of this factor, it is very likely that Dinh Quang Kiet will take over Ly Duc’s starting role in the U23 Vietnam team at the upcoming SEA Games . Regular playing time is very important for a young player. Not long ago, Dinh Quang Kiet was a substitute for Ly Duc at HAGL. After Ly Duc’s departure, Quang Kiet was chosen to replace his senior at HAGL and is currently performing very well.

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