Coach Kim Sang-sik recalls key players under Troussier
Midfielder Nguyen Thai Son has just been decided by Coach Kim Sang-sik to be called back to the Vietnam national team for the international friendly matches in October 2024.
Midfielder Nguyen Thai Son, born in 2003, had an impressive performance in Thanh Hoa Club. This is the reason why the Korean coach decided to call back the U23 Vietnam player.
Thai Son was once a key player in the Vietnam national team under coach Philippe Troussier. The young player from Thanh Hoa has somewhat proven his ability despite his lack of experience.
When Kim Sang-sik took over, the strategist did not use Thai Son in the 2026 World Cup qualifying matches in Asia. Thai Son was still called up to the Vietnam U23 team during this time and often wore the captain's armband.
It is likely that the upcoming friendly matches will be a test for Nguyen Thai Son by the coaching staff. If he performs well, he will continue to be promoted to the Vietnam national team. On the contrary, if Thai Son has not shown good performance, he will continue to be a mainstay of the U22 Vietnam team.
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced the time and venue for the national team's friendly matches in October. Both matches of the Vietnam team (against Lebanon and India) will take place at Thien Truong Stadium (Nam Dinh).
Coach Kim Sang-sik and his players are expected to gather on October 5, after the players finish round 4 of the 2024-2025 V.League. The Vietnamese team will play India at 6 p.m. on October 9 and Lebanon at 6 p.m. on October 15.
In the latest FIFA rankings (updated on September 19), the Vietnamese team dropped one place after two consecutive losses. Specifically, the Vietnamese team was deducted 6.64 points and dropped to 116th place. This is the lowest position of the Vietnamese team on the FIFA rankings since October 2017.