New records are waiting for Nguyen Quang Hai. As of before the ASEAN Cup 2026, the Vietnamese team has 5 players who have won the regional championship twice, including: Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Van Toan, central defender Bui Tien Dung, Do Duy Manh and Nguyen Tien Linh. They all played an important role in the journey to win the ASEAN Cup 2018 and 2024.
But in this year's tournament, Van Toan, Tien Dung, Do Duy Manh or Tien Linh did not participate for many different reasons. Only Quang Hai still participated and was trusted to wear the captain's armband. He and his teammates had an excellent journey, winning the right to the final with the Vietnamese team.
In the first leg final, Quang Hai scored a super product, contributing to helping the Vietnamese team beat the opponent 2-0 away from home. This result helps the Vietnamese team stand before a great opportunity to defend their title. If they win the championship at My Dinh Stadium on the evening of August 26, the Vietnamese team will have their 4th regional championship, equal to Singapore.
With Quang Hai, he has the opportunity to set a new record for Vietnamese football, becoming the first player to win the ASEAN Cup 3 times. At the 2018 tournament, this midfielder played very well, scoring 3 goals and having a series of đẳng cấp performances, and won the championship convincingly with his home team. He himself was also voted the best player of the tournament.
At ASEAN Cup 2024, Quang Hai continued to play an important role in terms of expertise, scoring 2 goals, and winning the championship with his team after the victory over Thailand. This year, his performance was not as explosive. Even, Quang Hai faced no less criticism. However, he proved his class with a volley that helped the Vietnamese team win 2-0, thereby moving closer to the championship.
If he wins the regional championship for the 3rd time, Quang Hai will equal the achievements of Thai legends such as Kiatisak, Worrawoot Srimaka, Chanathip Songkrasin, Theerathon Bunmathan, Teerasil Dangda and Shahril Ishak (Singapore), according to statistics from Transfermarkt. The player with the most titles in the region's number 1 arena is midfielder Sarach Yooyen of Thailand with 4 championships.
Previously, Quang Hai broke Cong Vinh's record for the number of national team appearances. To date, he has played 87 matches for the Vietnamese national team, scoring 16 goals.
