In the preliminary list of 30 players of the Vietnamese team preparing for the AFF Cup (new name is ASEAN Cup) 2024, the appearance of midfielder Phan Van Duc is considered one of the bright spots.
The striker from Nghe An was a key factor in the successful period of Vietnamese football under coach Park Hang-seo. Every time he was put on the field, Phan Van Duc left his mark with his technical handling and intelligent, intelligent playing style. He often turned around and suddenly kicked quickly, surprising his opponents. In addition, this player's ability to finish with both feet is also impressive.
However, the long period of struggling with injuries has made it difficult for Phan Van Duc to regain his peak form. The last time the midfielder, who is currently playing for the Hanoi Police team, played for the Vietnam national team was in a friendly match against Thailand at FIFA Days in September 2024, but he could not show much.
Therefore, when the name Phan Van Duc continued to appear on the list of Vietnam's team preparing for the AFF Cup 2024, fans expressed their belief and expectations for this player's return.
Commentator Quang Tung shared that coach Kim Sang-sik's decision to bring Phan Van Duc back to the Vietnam national team means that this coach has observed and understood the player's ability to contribute to the national team.
"With injuries like the ligament rupture that Phan Van Duc has suffered, it is very difficult to judge the ability to return as well as the level of performance that this player can reach after a long time of injury recovery.
But I am still very impressed with Phan Van Duc because he has unique and sudden moves. This player often has many good handling situations, especially shots in the role of an attacking player. Not a striker or the highest player, Phan Van Duc is a very unique option from the second line.
I hope that the Vietnamese team will have a breakthrough at the decisive moment because a player can create moments. Special moments often come from an individual, not everyone," said commentator Quang Tung.
Despite his small stature, Phan Van Duc has admirable endurance and tenacity. However, at this time, he will face fierce competition in the left forward position in the 3-4-3 formation. In addition to Van Duc, coach Kim Sang-sik has at least 4 other options: Tuan Hai, Chau Ngoc Quang, Nguyen Quoc Viet and Nguyen Dinh Bac. All are relatively formidable opponents.
Phan Van Duc of course has his own "weapon", which is his versatility. His enthusiasm and mobility can also help him be selected. But in the context of the V.League, this player has not scored any goals, so the most important thing that Phan Van Duc needs to do right now is to integrate, understand the philosophy of coach Kim Sang-sik, quickly respond to improve his performance, regain his ball feeling and confidence like before.
