Winger Trần Thái Huy delivers a major boost to Vietnam’s futsal national team

Only a little more than seven months following his ACL surgery, winger Trần Thái Huy has returned strongly, bringing an important momentum to Vietnam’s futsal squad at the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship finals.

Trần Thái Huy’s return to the futsal court resembles a story that seems fit for the movies. His smooth footwork, sharp dribbling, and confident moves make it hard to believe that this Vietnam futsal winger underwent ACL surgery just over seven months ago. In a sport demanding high intensity and constant pressure on the knee joints like futsal, making a quick comeback and regaining competitive form is no easy feat, especially for a player who has faced serious injuries multiple times.

For professional athletes, a torn ligament is one of the most daunting challenges in their careers. The more they play on hard floors, the greater the risk of recurrence and prolonged damage. Trần Thái Huy knows this better than anyone. In 2021, he had surgery to treat knee and meniscus injuries. Four years later, tragedy struck again when the winger for Thái Sơn Nam and Vietnam’s futsal team had to undergo ACL reconstruction, casting serious doubts on his ability to return to top form.

“Ligament injuries are the kind that anyone fears because they not only cause pain but also require time, patience, and persistent training to have any hope of returning to play. Of course, no one wishes for this in their career, and neither did I. I believe I have to... live with the ups and downs of being a player. Always think positively and aim for better things. Thankfully, after more than seven months, I feel good with my left leg and need about eight more months for everything to stabilize,”Thái Huy shared candidly.

The injury not only took away Trần Thái Huy’s peak playing months but also forced him to miss SEA Games 33 — a tournament filled with high hopes. Vietnam’s futsal team also suffered a significant loss without two experienced wingers, Thái Huy and Châu Đoàn Phát. The SEA Games showed that the team’s wing plays lacked fluidity, unpredictability, and sharpness. Therefore, the return of these seasoned players who have competed under multiple coaches holds special significance for the current coaching staff.

At the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship finals, coach Diego Giustozzi used Thái Huy cautiously in the opening match against Kuwait due to poor court conditions and high match intensity. In the next game against Lebanon, his playing time increased significantly, leaving a strong mark on Vietnam’s victory. In the match versus Thailand, Thái Huy nearly played the entire game, clearly demonstrating the class of a top winger despite the narrow 0-1 loss.

“Before the match, coach Diego Giustozzi set a precise strategy and thoroughly studied the opponent. It was quite unfortunate that we created many chances and threatened the opponent’s goal multiple times but couldn’t score. Today, although the result wasn’t favorable, in terms of gameplay, Vietnam’s futsal team performed well and is looking forward to the quarter-final against Indonesia,”Thái Huy concluded, affirming his resilient journey back to form.

Vietnam faces challenges ahead of the Asian futsal quarter-finals

Vietnam’s futsal team trains on the venue for the quarter-final match