On January 12, Nguyen Le Phat officially turned 19. His birthday took place right at the time U23 Vietnam played in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals, before the key match against host U23 Saudi Arabia.
Le Phat's milestone of 19 years is of special significance when he not only appeared in the list of participants in the tournament, but also left a clear mark after the first two matches.
On his birthday, through social networks, the mother of the player born in 2007 sent simple wishes: "Wishing my son good health, luck and continued progress on his career path".
Le Phat's journey at U23 Vietnam is a series of consecutive turning points. With the youngest age in the team, the striker from Lam Dong was once not highly appreciated for his ability to compete for a spot in the tournament.
The opportunity only came when Thanh Nhan was injured before the friendly match with U23 Syria. In the time he was brought on from the bench, Le Phat scored the only goal, but was still not named in the initial preliminary list.
Just 2 days before the tournament started, Bui Vi Hao's injury forced coach Kim Sang-sik to adjust personnel.
Le Phat was called up as a substitute and quickly became the "main actor" in the starting lineup for the opening match against U23 Jordan.
Against an opponent with superior physique and experience, this player still played confidently, moved wide, supported pressing and created space for his teammates in the front line.
Not only contributing to the overall playing style, Le Phat also had notable shots, showing his ability to quickly integrate in the continental arena.
This performance continued in the match against U23 Kyrgyzstan, helping him become one of the most stable factors in the attack.
Whether Le Phat starts against U23 Saudi Arabia or not will depend on the tactical calculations of coach Kim Sang-sik.
However, his 19th birthday and the belief from the coaching staff and family are becoming motivation for the young striker to continue to assert himself in the upcoming journey of U23 Vietnam.
