AhM PHOTO PASSED
When Indonesian media asked Quang Hai about the difference between the Indonesian team in March 2024 (with half of the squad naturalized) and the current one, the 27-year-old midfielder refused to analyze for two reasons: Football has its own characteristics, and he did not play a single minute in the two matches against Indonesia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers to be able to compare.
Quang Hai (Right) shined in the match against Indonesia
After saying goodbye to Pau FC (France) to return home to play, Quang Hai went through a low point in his career, the bottom part being the two most recent competitions with Indonesia. He sat on the bench and did not enter the field for a single minute in both of the Vietnamese team’s defeats. Angry kick into the water tank in the second half of the match at My Dinh Stadium (VN lost 0-3) when he learned that coach Philippe Troussier decided to use the last substitution to put another player on the field, not him. expressed Quang Hai’s helplessness.
Quang Hai returned to top form
When Quang Hai was not trusted by Mr. Troussier, there were two opinions. One stream believes that the French coach is conservative, the other stream believes that there is a reason for Quang Hai to sit out. The trip abroad to France in 2022 deprived Quang Hai of the opportunity to compete and maintain his form at the best stage of his career, so that when he returned to Vietnam, the winner of the 2018 Vietnam Golden Ball was only a shadow. own. Quang Hai does not have enough physical strength to play 90 minutes, and according to some experts, he is also not allowed to play in the right position at Hanoi Club.
When coach Kim Sang-sik took over the Vietnamese team, Quang Hai returned, but could not show much. In the context that Mr. Kim had to call up dozens of midfielders to the Vietnamese team to “reheat” the midfield, Hai’s role was raised and put down many times. He has to compete with Ngoc Tan, Thanh Long, Ngoc Quang in the midfield; If playing in midfield, Tuan Hai, Van Toan or Vi Hao are also in good form. However, when Quang Hai’s position in Mr. Kim’s system was questioned, the image of the creative midfielder with an extremely “weird” left foot and excellent tactical vision returned in the match. Indonesia on the evening of December 15.
NBACK THE WIND FORWARD
The shot that hit the net to bring home the victory over Indonesia showed the essence of Quang Hai. In the 77th minute, he caught Hai Long’s pass and hit the crossbar with a beautiful shot. After that, Quang Hai also moved wisely around the back, caught Tien Linh’s dribble and swung his leg again. By this time, luck was no longer on Indonesia’s side.
He is not tall but still makes others look up!
The beauty of Quang Hai is that when he took the first shot, Hai hit the spot where the ball landed in the space where all four Indonesian players were hesitant to block, thus leaving space for a long-range shot. When the ball bounced off the bar, while most players were passive with the situation, Quang Hai ran very quickly across the penalty area to hunt for another space, then took advantage of the opportunity to score.
If the first situation shows spatial sensitivity, the second moment is Quang Hai’s lightning thinking. This midfielder did not waste even a second to think about the next step, before looking for his own advantage. But in football, just being one split second faster than your opponent will make a difference.
Quang Hai’s wife and children on the stands at Viet Tri Stadium on December 15
Quang Hai stepped to the top 6 years ago thanks to such a sharp thinking in playing football. He is not the type of midfielder who organizes play, does not dribble or accelerate, nor does he have a good body shape to press, but he knows where to stand to receive the ball smoothly, knows whether to shoot or pass, and knows how to rip. Open the opponent’s defense with just a flick of the leg. Unpredictability in handling is what coach Kim Sang-sik really needs in attacking midfielders. To break through Indonesia’s deep-lying and extremely clingy defense, there must be actions that go beyond the tactical framework. There are qualities that can be practiced, but there are also special abilities that only appear in high-class stars.
Quang Hai used to be such a player, and is on his way back to his peak form. The road is still long, but Mr. Kim’s students are ready to overcome difficulties.
