Before the afternoon training session on March 18 of the Vietnam U19 team, center-back Hoang Minh Hoi shared with the media about his personal development journey as well as the goals in this gathering.
Despite playing as a center-back, Hoang Minh Hoi still attracted attention when he won the top scorer title at the 2026 National U19 Championship finals with 4 goals. However, the player born in 2007 affirmed that his personal achievements are inseparable from the collective contribution.
In the center-back position, I think it's because it suits me. And scoring goals is not just about me, but thanks to the wonderful teammates' support, I can score those goals," Minh Hoi shared.
After an impressive performance in 2025, being called up to the Vietnam U19 team brings many emotions to this young player, and also creates more motivation to continue to improve. "That creates more motivation for me to try harder and be more determined, because when I join the national team, the competition in my position is very fierce," Minh Hoi said.
Sharing about his ideal role model, Hoang Minh Hoi said he always aims for center-back Que Ngoc Hai. "I want to try to reach the level of Mr. Que Ngoc Hai. I really like his leadership and passes," the player from Song Lam Nghe An expressed.
During training at the club as well as the national team, Minh Hoi said he has accumulated more experience from his seniors, not only in terms of expertise but also in living consciousness and competitive attitude. "The brothers always remind us to be polite, maintain morality and try harder, and listen to the coaching staff to improve ourselves," Minh Hoi added.
Assessing coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's football philosophy, this center-back believes that the approach of the Japanese coach is suitable for the current generation of players. The team is aiming for a ball control combined with high-pressure play, requiring proactiveness and synchronous coordination between positions.
Faced with competitive pressure and the force screening plan, Hoang Minh Hoi admitted to having certain worries, but still maintained confidence. "Competition is definitely stressful, but I believe I can do it and try to continue to stay in the team," the young player emphasized.
Hoang Minh Hoi is currently under contract with Song Lam Nghe An club and has been promoted to the first team to play in the V.League in the second leg of the 2025-2026 season. The center-back born in 2007 impressed with his mature playing style, good situation reading ability and ball deployment skills from the defense.
With a spirit of progress, Hoang Minh Hoi is striving to affirm his position in the U19 Vietnam shirt, aiming for important goals in 2026.
