Two key players of Vietnam U23 team suffer consecutive serious injuries

Vietnamese football has recently received unfortunate news regarding two mainstays of the U23 Vietnam squad: midfielder Nguyễn Thái Sơn and defender Nguyễn Hiểu Minh.

On the evening of February 1st, at Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Ninh Bình lost 2-3 to CAHN in the highlight match of Round 12 in the 2025/26 V.League season. This defeat not only ended the former capital Hoa Lư team's 11-match unbeaten streak in the V.League and a 36-match unbeaten run across all competitions, but also caused them to lose the top spot to their opponent.

However, the most shocking aspect was the severe injury suffered by newcomer Nguyễn Thái Sơn. Substituted in by coach Gerard Albadalejo at the start of the second half during his debut for Ninh Bình, the midfielder who recently helped U23 Vietnam secure third place at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship showed impressive pace, composure, and passing ability. Yet, at the 70th minute, in a situation without any contact, Thái Sơn suddenly fell to the ground, clutching his leg in pain and had to be stretchered off.

Immediately, the medical team tightly wrapped his knee. After the game, Thái Sơn was unable to walk on his own and had to be carried by an assistant into the locker room. According to Bongdaplus sources, medical examination revealed that the player had an almost complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, requiring surgery in the near future.

A representative from Ninh Bình Club confirmed: “Thái Sơn has nearly completely torn his anterior cruciate ligament. He will almost certainly need surgery to return to the field. This is truly unfortunate for both Thái Sơn and the team.”

Due to this injury, Thái Sơn will need 8 to 9 months for complete rehabilitation, effectively ending his 2025/26 season from Round 12 onward. This also means he will miss the chance to join the Vietnam national team at the 2026 AFF Cup, a significant loss both in terms of skill and personnel for the national squad.

Meanwhile, defender Nguyễn Hiểu Minh, also a key player of U23 Vietnam, underwent successful knee ligament reconstruction surgery on the morning of January 28th at Vạn Hạnh General Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City). Experts estimate that Hiểu Minh will require about 8–9 months before returning to training, with 9–10 months possibly needed before competing at peak levels, depending on his individual recovery process.

Earlier, Hiểu Minh was injured in the semi-final match between U23 Vietnam and U23 China on January 20th, after a contest near the corner flag. He was immediately taken to the hospital for examination and treatment.

The fact that both Thái Sơn and Hiểu Minh suffered ligament tears within a short period is a major shock for Vietnamese football, especially as the U23 generation is expected to succeed the senior national team. Fans hope both players will recover well, come back stronger, and continue to contribute to the nation’s football in the future.