Van Quyet retires from Vietnam national team

“Burn” for the last time

A conversation between Van Quyet and coach Kim Sang Sik took place right before the match between the Vietnam and India teams. The player born in 1991 decided to say goodbye to the "Golden Star Warriors" to spend the rest of his career at the club level. This veteran striker also informed the Hanoi Club about his choice that same morning. Everyone was surprised, but in the end, Van Quyet's wishes could not be changed.

Coach Kim Sang Sik was of course the saddest. He really wanted Van Quyet to be able to contribute to the Vietnam National Team, in the context that the "Golden Star Warriors"'s playing style could not be as expected. The last gratitude, for the first time calling up his student Van Quyet, was given by Mr. Kim Sang Sik in the 73rd minute. "Number 10" entered the field and created a big turning point in the team's expertise.

The 3-5-2 formation of the Vietnamese team changed to 4-3-3 as soon as Van Quyet appeared. He became the inspiration for the red team's attacks. If Quang Hai had been luckier or the Indian defense had not been excellent, Van Quyet's two passes in the penalty area with full feeling and composure would have become assists. Van Quyet himself even had an impressive penetration and diagonal shot afterwards. Unfortunately, the ball went wide of the post...

Goodbye, an unfinished legend

All the fans at Thien Truong Stadium saw how the Vietnamese team changed positively in attack with the appearance of Van Quyet. Status lines on social networks unanimously praised the softness and flexibility of the "number 10". The bright spot in the rather sad draw of the Vietnamese team was Van Quyet. Many opinions expect that he will be the "key" to bring a new atmosphere to the Vietnamese team in this difficult and troubled period.

But in the end, Van Quyet did not change his mind, which he had previously announced to coach Kim Sang Sik and Hanoi Club. Through the capital team, this player said goodbye to the Vietnam National Team. The majority of Vietnamese fans were shocked, when just before that, they were excited about Van Quyet's return.

Van Quyet's departure from the Vietnam National Team is regrettable. But, like the past half decade, that feeling has become a habit in every Vietnam National Team gathering, from the time of Park Hang Seo, Philippe Troussier and now Kim Sang Sik. Every time Van Quyet is not on the list, a debate with opposing views is brought up. Every time Van Quyet is gathered but not used much, opinions in support and opposition flood the internet.

Van Quyet originally belonged to the generation that had been jostling in the line of controversy at the Vietnam National Team level for a decade. That generation was not as successful as the generation of Viet Thang and Cong Vinh. That generation was also not cheered on like the generation of Cong Phuong and Quang Hai later on. Of that generation, in the end, only Van Quyet - a person of the old 1991-1992 age group - is still present in the Vietnam National Team until now. And Van Quyet's path to "eating the national team's rice" is also full of obstacles and thorns, with the line of controversy accompanying him for a decade.

Van Quyet ended his career with the Vietnam National Team with 16 goals and 60 matches. That number cannot be as high as Le Cong Vinh, Pham Thanh Luong, Que Ngoc Hai (in terms of matches) or Le Huynh Duc, Nguyen Tien Linh, Le Cong Vinh (in terms of goals). But he still stands in the middle group, just like the way he exists within a certain boundary for himself in the National Team.

It is not wrong to call Van Quyet a legend of Vietnamese football. He is the top domestic scorer in the history of V.League, the Vietnamese Golden Ball, and the Southeast Asian champion. But the legend of Van Quyet is still unfinished, between a side full of success at the club but struggling and not reaching the peak at the National Team.

Goodbye Van Quyet, see you in V.League in Hanoi Club's shirt - where you belong.