Shock before ASEAN Cup
Over the past 10 years, Que Ngoc Hai has always been the trusted choice of many head coaches of the Vietnam National Team, starting with Mr. Toshiya Miura, Nguyen Huu Thang, then Park Hang-seo, Troussier... The central defender born in 1993 has a solid position in the national team's central defender position with 78 appearances and has participated in 5 ASEAN Cups in his career.
At the age of 32, Que Ngoc Hai himself probably also hopes to compete in the Southeast Asian Championship for the 6th time, as a complete conclusion before saying goodbye to the Vietnamese team.
However, his wish did not come true. Signs of aging, combined with injuries that have not yet recovered, seriously affected Ngoc Hai's physical strength and performance in the final stages of 2024. A few months earlier, his predecessor Philippe Troussier also advised him not to overexert himself. With such a history of injuries, it is difficult for the central defender from Nghe An to ensure the intensity of exercise on the field for more than 60 minutes.
Based on the detailed advice of the fitness coach regarding Que Ngoc Hai's physical condition, coach Kim Sang-sik decided not to call him up in the preparation plan for the ASEAN Cup. This decision was somewhat supported by the fans. The results of the Vietnam team at the tournament also proved that the coaching staff was not wrong in making the personnel choice.
However, on the other hand, Que Ngoc Hai could not help but feel surprised when he could not accompany the Vietnamese team at a major international tournament, which was the hope of millions of fans.
Desire to return
Up to now, he is still 5 matches behind his senior Cong Vinh. If he maintains good physical condition and form, the 32-year-old central defender can completely equal or even surpass the above milestone, because in 2025, the Vietnamese team will play 4 matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, not to mention international friendly matches according to the FIFA Days schedule.
Que Ngoc Hai also clearly showed his determination to return to the Vietnam National Team. The proof is that in early 2025, he had two good performances with Binh Duong Club in the matches against Binh Dinh and Quang Nam in V.League. Sofascored website rated this central defender with a score of 7 or higher. Particularly in Binh Duong's 2-1 victory over Quang Nam, Que Ngoc Hai assisted in both goals of the home team.
In both goals above, Ngoc Hai performed the same scenario. He advanced high into the opponent's field, performed a gentle but enough foot lift to create a point where the ball fell into the penalty area, creating conditions for Tien Linh and Janclesio to approach the goal.
Center-backs with the ability to pass the ball over medium and long distances are always prioritized by coach Kim Sang-sik. At the 2024 ASEAN Cup, Do Duy Manh or Pham Xuan Manh were assigned to this role. However, the long-passing ability of both is only at a fairly average level, not creating a surprising transformation for the Vietnam National Team. Obviously, with this skill set, Que Ngoc Hai has long been number 1 among the center-backs in the V.League.
Ngoc Hai is also a player who maintains his ability to compete for the ball in the air well. Although he is 32 years old, his jumping ability and ability to judge the landing point are still quite good. In the match against Binh Dinh, Ngoc Hai was successful 4 times out of 6 aerial battles when facing opposing strikers and midfielders. His biggest limitation now is probably close combat and "catching" positions.
Data from Sofascore shows that although this central defender is very active in one-on-one contests with opponents, his success rate only fluctuates between 30-35% in total matches.
In fact, it is difficult to expect a "veteran" like Que Ngoc Hai to be as fit and strong as when he was young. That is also a limitation that makes it difficult for him to join the Vietnam national team. However, with good skills and smart thinking, Que Ngoc Hai can still be considered by Mr. Kim Sang-sik in the upcoming training session in March.
