AFC points out the best player of the Vietnam national futsal team at the Asian Championship finals

Pivot Nguyễn Thịnh Phát is the player who has earned great confidence from the organizers of the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship finals.

On the afternoon of January 27, the Vietnam futsal team will play their opening match at the Asian Championship finals against Kuwait. Ahead of this match, the organizers have revealed the best players from each of the 16 teams.

Regarding Vietnam, Nguyễn Thịnh Phát is the trusted choice: "Thịnh Phát carries the heavy responsibility of leading the Vietnam team toward the ultimate goal of reaching the semifinals, after having been stopped at the quarterfinals in the last three qualifications. The player from Thái Sơn Nam HCMC will be very confident after scoring 5 goals in the qualifiers."

In fact, before the Asian futsal finals, Thịnh Phát has been facing a challenging period in his career. At the 2024 Asian futsal finals, the 1998-born pivot had a tough tournament missing many key chances. His unsuccessful finishing made him the focus of criticism, especially as the Vietnam futsal team failed to qualify for the Futsal World Cup.

The 33rd SEA Games was another test. Despite entering with impressive credentials, including the top scorer titles in the national futsal league for two consecutive seasons (2024, 2025) and the 2024 Vietnam futsal Golden Ball award, Nguyễn Thịnh Phát could not get on the score sheet. Throughout the turbulent journey of the Vietnam futsal team at the Games, he did not score but remained on the field playing a role in setting screens, stretching the defense, and creating space for teammates.

This Asian futsal finals thus hold significant meaning for Nguyễn Thịnh Phát in reaffirming his role in the national team. The recognition from the organizers by including him among the tournament's standout players partly reflects the trust placed in the 1998-born pivot despite the difficulties he has faced previously.

In this context, putting past pressures aside, maintaining focus, and approaching the tournament with a stable mindset will be key factors for Thịnh Phát to perform at his best and contribute to the common goal of the Vietnam futsal team at the Asian futsal finals.