U23's number one goalkeeper competes with two overseas Vietnamese stars on the Vietnam national team

Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien faces fierce competition in the Vietnam national team, but still has a chance to surprise at the ASEAN Cup 2026.

The training camp preparing for the ASEAN Cup 2026 is witnessing intense competition for the goalkeeper position on the Vietnam national team. With experienced names like Dang Van Lam and Patrik Le Giang in the mix, the opportunity for Tran Trung Kien seems unclear. However, based on his recent performances, the young HAGL goalkeeper still has reason to hope for a surprise.

Tran Trung Kien is regarded as one of the most outstanding domestic goalkeepers in Vietnamese football today. Although only 23 years old, he has become a reliable last line of defense for HAGL over many seasons. With an ideal height, good reflexes, and modern footwork skills, Trung Kien is increasingly perfecting his skill set as a top goalkeeper. His consistent form in V.League has earned him several opportunities at various national team levels.

A major turning point in Trung Kien's career came from international youth tournaments. After winning a gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games with the U23 Vietnam team, the goalkeeper born in 2003 continued to impress at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup. His outstanding performances against strong opponents like Saudi Arabia and Jordan brought him more attention. Many experts believe Trung Kien has the potential to become the number one goalkeeper for Vietnamese football in the future.

Notably, coach Kim Sang Sik once gave Trung Kien a starting spot in the return leg against Nepal during the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This is seen as a sign that the South Korean coach is not afraid to trust young players if they meet professional requirements. In his rare appearance at the senior national team level, Trung Kien completed his task well with a clean sheet and showed confidence in goal.

However, the current competition is much tougher. Dang Van Lam is maintaining consistent form after a successful season with Ninh Binh. Patrik Le Giang has just officially become eligible to play for the Vietnam national team and is considered one of the best goalkeepers in V.League. Meanwhile, Nguyen Filip also just had an impressive season with CAHN. The appearance of multiple quality goalkeepers makes the position in goal more crowded than ever.

Nevertheless, the door is not yet closed for Tran Trung Kien. The ASEAN Cup 2026 is a long tournament with many matches, requiring reasonable rotation. More importantly, coach Kim Sang Sik always values form, tactical suitability, and performance on the training ground rather than relying solely on reputation. Trung Kien may be rated lower than his seniors at the moment, but if he continues to improve and makes the most of every opportunity, the HAGL goalkeeper can still create a fair competition for the starting spot on the Vietnam national team.