In recent days, midfielder Nguyen Trong Dai has "possessed spotlight" on social networks when posting a job search post as well as admitting past mistakes that have affected his career.
He was once one of the highly rated players in the 1997-1998 generation, the captain of Vietnam U19, participated in the 2017 U20 World Cup and won the 2018 AFC U23 Championship runner-up with Vietnam U23. At that time, Trong Dai was considered a promising midfielder and faced many opportunities to develop in top football.
But his career did not follow that trajectory. After leaving The Cong Viettel, Dai successively played for Hong Linh Ha Tinh, Nam Dinh, Hai Phong, Gia Dinh and Long An but could not be attached for long.
Troubles outside the field make Trong Dai increasingly distance himself from professional football.
In fact, Trong Dai's falling story is not uncommon in Vietnamese football. Some people lost their careers because their expertise did not meet requirements, some were affected by off-field choices, and some players had to stop due to disciplinary actions.
However, the difference lies in the fact that they face mistakes and find ways to return.
Le Quang Hung is a noteworthy case. At the age of 22, this defender was permanently banned from playing by the VFF at the end of 2014 due to involvement in match-fixing at Ninh Binh club. The penalty forced Quang Hung to leave professional football for a long time, right at the most strong stage of career development.
During that time, Quang Hung did many jobs to maintain his life, from security guard, shipper to security guard. He still played amateur football in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to maintain his physical condition and form.
In March 2023, after being cleared by VFF, Quang Hung returned to professional football in the colors of Becamex TPHCM (formerly Binh Duong), then moved to Da Nang and currently Ho Chi Minh City Police.
10 years after leaving top football, Quang Hung returned and found his true self. At the age of 34, he contributed to the Ho Chi Minh City Police team that won the National Cup 2025-2026.
The story of Trong Dai and Quang Hung has different starting points, but Quang Hung's journey shows that a player can still return after very big upheavals.
For Trong Dai, the door to football is not completely closed. At the age of 29, he can still play football if he knows how to get up after mistakes and is serious about his job, although it will certainly be difficult to return to the starting position.
