The ‘little pepper’ midfield of the Vietnamese team: Small but… martial?

Vietnam team midfielder ‘short and light’

In the list of 26 players for the Vietnamese team participating in the 2024 AFF Cup, coach Kim Sang-sik summoned 7 midfielders. It is worth mentioning that except for Nguyen Hoang Duc (1.83 m), the remaining midfielders are all 1.7 m tall or less.

Specifically, Nguyen Quang Hai is 1.66 m tall; Khuat Van Khang and Nguyen Hai Long are both 1.68 m tall; Chau Ngoc Quang is 1.7 m tall; Doan Ngoc Tan is 1.69 m tall. Particularly, Le Pham Thanh Long is only 1.65 m tall, the player with the most modest height in the Vietnamese team.

The average height of Vietnamese midfielders is only 1.69 m. This is a defense line with less impressive height if placed next to the goalkeeper or defense line.

In fact, the height of Vietnam’s midfield could have been better if coach Kim Sang-sik had retained Nguyen Van Truong (1.82 m) and Nguyen Thai Son (1.71 m). However, both young players left the team due to lack of experience and not meeting the playing style requirements during the training trip in Korea (Thai Son was not used).

The current strength of the Vietnamese team is the result of 4 rounds of concentration, screening and testing by Mr. Kim. The Korean military leader has used up all the elites of Vietnamese football. It must be affirmed that these “short and light” faces are the best midfielders that the Vietnamese team has.

Question mark

In soccer, height differences can make a big difference. When naturalizing players to strengthen for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Indonesia focused on tall midfielders.

Thom Haye, Ivar Jenner or Justin Hubner all have impressive heights (1.87 m), thus creating an advantage in hand-to-hand disputes. Although the midfield has a lower frequency of aerial disputes than the defense or attack, it still needs to be in shape.

Because in pressing, shielding or turning the ball, if you don’t have a strong enough body, it is very difficult for the Vietnamese team’s midfield to make things happen. Modern football is a story of muscle and strength, no longer purely about using technique and dexterity to overcome physical disadvantages.

However, the disadvantage of height is something that cannot be compensated for at this time, the Vietnamese team needs to choose a playing style that suits the current person. Competing against your opponent means you have to move more wisely, coordinate faster, hold the ball skillfully and escape more quickly.

Short players also have their own advantages. That is the ability to maintain position and shift the body’s center of gravity better than “powerful” players. Chanathip Songkrasin is an example. With a height of 1.58 m, “Messi J” has tormented many taller players in the J-League.

But, in Vietnamese football, no one is at Chanathip’s level. Understanding that he does not have a good height, Chanathip has focused on training his legs firmly, his body turning flexibly, and outstanding tactical thinking: always knowing where to stand and what to do to limit collisions. He also exercises to become thicker and more muscular to maintain good balance.

That is the path Vietnamese midfielders should take. If you’re small, you have to… have martial arts, if you don’t want to lose out in the increasingly fierce competition at the AFF Cup.