"Personally, I regret not winning today. The Vietnamese team did not play well. I was substituted in the last minutes so I tried my best. No matter how long I played, I played to the best of my ability, but there were mistakes when playing with the young players and a new tactical system so the result was not as expected.
As an experienced player, I really want to score when I return to the national team, but I am willing to create conditions for my teammates. The Vietnamese team missed too many opportunities," striker Nguyen Van Quyet shared after the 1-1 draw between Vietnam and India on the evening of October 12 at Thien Truong Stadium (Nam Dinh) during FIFA Days in October 2024.
After the match, Nguyen Van Quyet decided to say goodbye to the Vietnamese team. The match against India was his last match wearing the national team jersey.
The Hanoi FC striker expressed: "I want to participate in more big tournaments with high spirit and determination. But now my physical condition is not good anymore, I can no longer meet the requirements. This will be the last match I wear the national team jersey. I hope the Vietnamese team will play well, the young players will soon integrate.
I thought I would no longer have the chance to wear the national team jersey. I was very surprised to come back and play in front of the fans. I want to play more, but now is the time for the young players to show themselves. I always accompany them in any position. Over the past 18 years, I have always tried my best and Vietnamese football will develop, the national team will grow strong in the future."
As soon as Van Quyet announced his retirement from the national team, teammates such as Dang Van Lam, Que Ngoc Hai, Duy Manh... simultaneously posted statuses on their personal pages, expressing their gratitude for Van Quyet's contributions to the national team.
Sharing in the post-match press conference, head coach Kim Sang-sik of the Vietnamese team also said that he knew about striker Van Quyet's farewell plan. The Korean coach thanked Van Quyet for his dedication to the Vietnamese team.
During his career, Van Quyet participated in 5 AFF Cups (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022) and won the 2018 AFF Cup with the Vietnamese team.
