In January 2015, Hoang Anh Gia Lai club officially promoted the first-year player of Hoang Anh Gia Lai academy Arsenal JMG to play in the V.League.
At that time, Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh, Xuan Truong, Van Toan... were considered new symbols of the mountain town football team, with a modern football philosophy and the hope of changing the face of Vietnamese football.
However, after nearly a decade, their journey has now turned in many different directions. Currently, only Nguyen Huu Anh Tai - a second-time player - is playing for the first team of Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
Before that, Anh Tai did not have much time to be associated with this team but was often loaned to other clubs.
While most of the names that made the brand of "national football team" have now left the mountain town.
Nguyen Cong Phuong is playing for Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc in the National First Division. The trio of Van Toan, Tuan Anh and Hong Duy reunite in the Nam Dinh club jersey. Vu Van Thanh joined Hanoi Police - the team that just won the 2025 National Cup.
Some other names such as Nguyen Lam currently playing for Khanh Hoa, while Phan Thanh Hau and Nguyen Quoc Nhat are playing for Quang Nam FC, Luong Hoang Nam are the main factors in Hai Phong or Hoang Thanh Tung continues his career in Dong Thap in the First Division.
Le Van Son, Tran Minh Vuong and Luong Xuan Truong are also said to be preparing to join Binh Phuoc FC with Cong Phuong.
Unfortunately for his teammates, some players said goodbye to the pitch. Australian goalkeeper Ksor and defender Le Duc Luong have both retired from professional competition. Center back Tran Huu Dong Trieu has turned to coaching, currently a football coach at a famous university.
Players such as Pham Thanh Nam, Le Van Vu, Nguyen Quang Huy and Nguyen Tien Hoai have long since withdrawn from professional football. Among them, Van Vu is working in youth training at Hoang Anh Gia Lai center.
During the journey of the past 10 years, despite great expectations, this collective has never helped Hoang Anh Gia Lai reach the glory of V.League.
Their best performance was in 2021 - when the team was led by coach Kiatisak topped the rankings after 12 rounds, before the season was canceled due to COVID-19.
A year later, they impressed in the 2022 AFC Champions League with 5 points, including a draw against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and a victory over Sydney FC. This is also a record for the group stage score of a Vietnamese team in this arena, only broken by Hanoi club in 2024.
Currently, when the force has thinned a lot, there are no more stars and lacking even experience, Hoang Anh Gia Lai enters V.League 2025-2026 with many worries.
Coach Le Quang Trai will have to find a solution for a young, in-depth squad but still carrying the expectations of the Mountain City fans.
A decade has passed, and the generation of players from each year is now almost at the end of a football life cycle. Although their journey is not yet complete, they are still the symbol of the time of Vietnamese football - the first generation to dare to dream, dare to play and dare to shape a different philosophy on the pitch.
