The halo suddenly went out
Vo Nguyen Hoang had an unhappy childhood due to difficult family circumstances in a small countryside in Dong Thap. He didn't even know football, only occasionally turned to this sport as a way of entertainment after school. For the skinny kid at that time, a delicious meal brought more joy than playing football.
Even, Nguyen Hoang hardly played sports until he was 9 years old. Once, being "chased" by his grandmother for being naughty, Nguyen Hoang wandered to the park near his house. The boy decided to ask to play with older brothers. On the children's football field 10-15 years ago, those who were younger or played poorly would have to be goalkeepers. Gradually over time, sometimes the team lacked players, sometimes they needed a strong striker, the older brothers let Nguyen Hoang leave the goalkeeper position. So, football came to this striker naturally.
Everything was like a fateful arrangement, to the point that this player had to exclaim: "I really can't remember how I played football. I have no idea about playing football and I don't know if I play football well or not. I just thought at that time I had to study properly so that after school I could go out.
At the age of 11, Nguyen Hoang was invited to try out at Dong Thap team. In all tests, the striker born in 2002 quickly achieved good indicators. After that, fate brought him to PVF Youth Football Training Center 12 years ago. At that time, Nguyen Hoang, although only 11 years old, still accepted being away from home to pursue his dream.
With superior physique and natural football talent, Vo Nguyen Hoang was quickly "planned" to be the center of the generation of players born in 2002 at PVF. Former player Vo Hoang Buu and later coach Nguyen Viet Thang both believe that he is an important name in the future of Vietnamese football.
Overseas training trips and successful international tournaments are like a passport that takes the young man from Dong Thap to dream of the big sea. Reaching the age of 15, Nguyen Hoang once received a transfer offer from Buriram United but had to refuse because of a contract with PVF Football Center.
Later, he still maintained a relationship with striker Suphanat Mueanta - a player also born in 2002 and considered a top star of Thai football. Some time later, it was U15 Stoke City (England)'s turn to play a friendly match with PVF and the 1m76 tall striker once again caught the "eye" of the scouts.
However, a major incident that seemed to have torn Nguyen Hoang's future apart took place at the 2018 AFC U16 Championship finals. Many rumors suggest that Nguyen Hoang and his teammates had a habit of smoking, even retorting and threatening to "deal with" the head coach.
Because of this information, Nguyen Hoang struggled for a while, having to rely on the rescue of Mr. Philippe Troussier and former player Nguyen Viet Thang. Later, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) spoke out to affirm that there was no group of young players texting with threatening content to Mr. Vu Hong Viet at that time.
In fact, Vo Nguyen Hoang quickly overcame this incident. The personality of the young "unruly" horse boy also gradually declined. Nguyen Hoang focused on playing football, no longer participating in useless pleasures. In 2019, Nguyen Hoang, who was only 17 years old at that time, was suddenly called up by coach Park Hang-seo to U22 Vietnam to prepare for SEA Games 30. In the end, the Korean coach did not keep him until the day he went to the Philippines. However, this was an important premise for the striker born in 2002 to lay solid foundations for his career.
Year of the Horse and the expectation of finding oneself again
But, luck also turned his back on Vo Nguyen Hoang many times. In the last match before gathering with U22 Vietnam to prepare for SEA Games 31, Vo Nguyen Hoang suffered a serious injury. When he went to Hanoi for an examination, he realized he had a severed anterior cruciate ligament and had to miss the tournament.
In 2023, right before the 32nd SEA Games - the last chance for Nguyen Hoang to participate in a Southeast Asian Games, he was... eliminated again. This time, coach Troussier personally checked and he decided not to take risks. Nguyen Hoang had only returned to competition not long ago, still posing a risk of injury recurrence.
Also in this year, Nguyen Hoang made an important decision in his career when he left PVF club and joined Dong A Thanh Hoa. Three years in Thanh land, Nguyen Hoang won the National Cup twice and won 1 National Super Cup.
He still managed to participate in the 2024 AFC U23 Championship finals and left a strong impression when playing as a striker partner with Nguyen Van Tung. During this period, Nguyen Hoang still regularly played but the number of minutes in each match was not much. At times, this player could not sleep and tormented himself about why he could not have more opportunities.
Too many upheavals made Nguyen Hoang, who still bears the title of "wild horse", choose a simple life. In parallel with playing football, he runs his own flower shop in Thanh Hoa. After each practice session and general activities, Nguyen Hoang "ships" flowers to customers. He treats himself to a cup of coffee opposite his shop.
Binh Ngo year is also the zodiac year of Vo Nguyen Hoang. He once again changed his environment when joining SHB Da Nang club right in the 2nd phase of V.League 2025-2026. Before the new year, the 24-year-old player wants many things in the new environment. Once again, challenges come, Da Nang team hopes Nguyen Hoang will shine to help them overcome difficulties. If Da Nang stays in the league, a potential striker like Nguyen Hoang returning to the national team is what coach Le Duc Tuan is looking forward to.
“The age according to folk beliefs is usually a year full of challenges, I am also a little worried. But I think my career has never been smooth sailing and perhaps this is the time for me to step out of my comfort zone. I don't want people to pay attention to me like a wild horse.
I hope that the audience, leaders, coaches and teammates will see me in the image of a diligent horse. Who knows, if I am in the zodiac year but have joy coming to me, let's wait and see," Vo Nguyen Hoang confided.
This Tet, Nguyen Hoang will choose to return to his hometown to welcome the new spring with his family members. Yellow apricot blossoms, banh tet in the Mekong Delta, and then the sun and wind of the Han River will replace the cold and smell of firewood smoke in Thanh Hoa.
In each journey I go through, I have my own memories and I am truly grateful to my teachers and teams that have played. I have enough desire to aim for bigger goals and once playing for the national team is a dream that my whole family is looking forward to," the striker shared.
The young men born in the Year of the Horse are not really lucky and have resounding success with Vietnamese football. At this time, fans expect that a potential striker, once associated with a big destination like Nguyen Hoang, will regain his glory.
