Breakthrough mark
U17 Vietnam closed the group stage of the AFC U17 Championship 2026 finals with an emotional 3-2 victory over U17 UAE, not only helping coach Cristiano Roland's team win the top spot in Group C but also officially winning a ticket to participate in the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026. In that decisive match, Nguyen Minh Thuy was one of the most prominent names.
When U17 Vietnam was led early, the red shirt team still maintained their composure to reorganize the game. In the second half, U17 Vietnam exploded strongly, continuously putting pressure and creating a memorable comeback. In the 48th minute, after coordinating with Nguyen Luc and Dai Nhan, Minh Thuy was present at the right time to finish, increasing the score to 2-1.
That was a turning point goal, not only helping U17 Vietnam reverse the situation but also showing Minh Thuy's precious qualities: the ability to choose positions, composure in decisive moments and the bravery to shine when the team needs it most.
Not stopping there, the midfielder born in 2009 also left his mark with an assist from a corner kick, helping his teammate score an important goal, sealing a 3-2 victory. With 1 goal and 1 assist, Minh Thuy became one of the direct factors bringing U17 Vietnam to the U17 World Cup arena.
U17 Vietnam stopped in the quarterfinals of the AFC U17 Championship. However, Minh Thuy and her teammates will still have important tasks in the world arena.
Pillar of U17 Vietnam in midfield
Nguyen Minh Thuy is not the type of player who always appears noisy in the media. The value of the Song Lam Nghe An (SLNA) midfielder lies in the way he regulates the match, connects the lines and helps the playing style of U17 Vietnam become more balanced.
Throughout the group stage, Minh Thuy started all 3 matches, showing great confidence from the coaching staff. In coach Cristiano Roland's system, he is an important transit station in the midfield area, where attacks are initiated and maintain pace.
Minh Thuy's highlight is his maturity beyond his age. At the age of 17, he shows his ability to handle the ball neatly, escape pressing well and make quick decisions in a narrow range. When U17 Vietnam needs to control, Minh Thuy knows how to slow down the pace of the match. When the team needs to accelerate, he is ready to make attacking passes.
It is this intelligent, soft and effective playing style that makes Minh Thuy highly appreciated. He does not need too many flashy movements, but each handling has a clear purpose. That is the modern midfielder model: knowing how to keep up with the rhythm, knowing how to support defense, knowing how to create opportunities and also being able to score goals from the second line on his own.
Before the 2026 AFC U17 Championship Finals, Minh Thuy made his mark in the qualifiers with a super long-range shot into the net of U17 Hong Kong (China), and was voted the best player of the match. In the U17 Southeast Asian semi-final against U17 Australia, he also executed accurate set pieces, contributing to helping U17 Vietnam create a turning point.
From SLNA's talent to the hope of Vietnamese football
Nguyen Minh Thuy's maturity did not come by chance. The player born in 2009 is a product of Song Lam Nghe An training academy. Before wearing the U17 Vietnam jersey, he was coached by coach Pham Hai Nam and trusted to be given the captain's armband of U16 SLNA because he early showed leadership qualities and modern football thinking.
At the youth level, Minh Thuy has had notable milestones: U11 national championship in 2020, U13 national championship in 2022 and U15 national silver medal in 2023. He was once a representative of SLNA participating in the U16 Vietnam team participating in the CFA Team China 2025 international tournament. Especially, at the recent U19 national tournament, Minh Thuy was promoted by the coaching staff from U17 to U19 and made a great contribution to the championship of U19 Song Lam Nghe An.
From a young player with great potential, Minh Thuy is gradually affirming his position in the U17 Vietnam shirt with stability, discipline and good adaptability to tactical requirements. The 2026 AFC U17 Championship is a big stage for him to step out into the light.
If she continues to maintain her development momentum, Minh Thuy can completely become a pillar of the national youth teams in the coming years. And from today's excellent achievements, Nguyen Minh Thuy will gradually rise to become a top midfielder of Vietnamese football in the future.
