Keeping the profession for many years
At the age of 33, although no longer wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey, Que Ngoc Hai still persistently plays in the V.League. Joining SHB Da Nang from mid-season last year, the center-back born in 1993 quickly became a pillar of the team both professionally and mentally.
According to Que Ngoc Hai, to maintain form in the final stage of his career, the most important thing is to maintain his love for football, thereby maintaining seriousness in training and competition.
Que Ngoc Hai shared that he often looks at seniors who have the ability to play at the top level for a long time like Trong Hoang to remind himself about how to maintain his career, or further, world stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
“First, perhaps I have to see role models in Vietnam like Trong Hoang or look further, there are Ronaldo or Messi... They always maintain their form. For me personally, first, I must always maintain my passion for football. Second, I work hard in training, go to the field with effort and determination in each training session, each match. And the last thing is probably that I need to listen to my body, know when to rest. I think those are very important factors in maintaining a peak career" - Que Ngoc Hai shared.
These principles also formed from the process of Que Ngoc Hai playing for many years in the professional football environment. From Song Lam Nghe An, The Cong Viettel to Dong A Thanh Hoa or SHB Da Nang, he went through many different stages and had time to stand side by side with many generations of players.
When he no longer wears the national team jersey, Que Ngoc Hai continues to pass on experience to young teammates at the club. He regularly reminds and guides his juniors about their passion, diligence and receptive attitude in training and competition.
Attached to the new generation of players
One of the young players who has a close relationship with Que Ngoc Hai is Nguyen Dinh Bac. Faced with the pressure that the striker born in 2004 faced, the 33-year-old center-back chose to encourage instead of giving too many advices.
According to the former captain of the Vietnamese national team, Dinh Bac has enough experience to recognize his own problems. The performances at the SEA Games, U23 Asian Championship and especially ASEAN Cup 2026 show the professional ability as well as the ability to cope with pressure of the young striker.
I think Dinh Bac is a player with bravery. In terms of expertise, through what Bac has shown in recent tournaments, we don't need to talk too much. Perhaps everyone can see how brave Dinh Bac is to face what has happened. I can only encourage Bac to play, always maintain concentration and most importantly, always think about the team, be diligent, listen to the guidance of seniors as well as coaches and coaching staff in the national team" - Que Hai said.
The way Que Ngoc Hai treats young players also partly explains his differences inside and outside the football field. When playing, this center-back admits that he is decisive, sometimes hot-tempered and quite strict. But in daily life, he proactively creates a comfortable atmosphere, often teasing to make young players feel more approachable.
He expressed: "Hai on the field and Hai outside are really very different. On the field, I am a person full of determination and a bit hot-tempered, especially when teaching young teammates. Because I want to teach and pass on my experience to young players, so that they will be better than previous generations, helping the Vietnamese team develop better".
From the seniors who once guided him, Que Ngoc Hai is continuing that role with a new generation of players. For him, the transmission of experience is not limited to reminders on the field but also lies in how to build cohesion in the team.
I don't dare to say for sure about the future, but later, I want to become a coach to continue to stick with football.
