Bac Dinh 2026: A Star’s Turning Point

The year 2026 is expected to serve as a launchpad for Nguyen Dinh Bac to elevate himself and genuinely become a top football star in Vietnam.

Success at the U23 Asian Championship has acted as a springboard helping Dinh Bac to shine brightly and become the bearer of Vietnam football’s future. The year 2026 is hoped to be the moment when the 2004-born striker proves himself and becomes a true star.

Establishing himself in the CAHN jersey

Dinh Bac was the standout star for Vietnam’s U22/U23 teams at SEA Games 33 and the recent U23 Asian Championship. The Nghệ An-born striker was the most dynamic player upfront, culminating in the top scorer title at the U23 Asian Championship.

However, that success was still at the youth level; in the V-League, Dinh Bac has yet to replicate that form. He has not secured a regular starting spot at Cong An Ha Noi nor scored any goals in the V-League so far.

Of course, these stats do not indicate any decline or loss of favor for Dinh Bac. Across all competitions, he has appeared in 18 of 21 matches for CAHN this season, accumulating 1225 minutes — a figure showing his steady role within the tactical system.

Yet, to reach the next level, this is not enough for Dinh Bac. At 21 years old, he is entering the golden phase to develop and refine his skills. In 2026, he must further improve both his skill set and tactical understanding.

Dinh Bac’s ultimate goal in 2026 is to win the full trust of Coach Polkingand become a key player regularly starting matches. CAHN boasts a true “galaxy” of talent in the V-League, making competition very fierce.

This is both an opportunity and a challenge for Dinh Bac. It won’t be easy to break into the CAHN lineup, where stars like Quang Hai, Artur, and Alan are still performing excellently. But if he succeeds, it will be a strong affirmation of his maturity.

Securing a place in the national team

Following his success with the Vietnam U23 team, Dinh Bac is almost certain to be considered for a spot on the senior national team. Unlike youth levels, competition in the Vietnam national team is much tougher, as it gathers the country’s top-quality players.

The competition and professional standards of the Vietnam national team are expected to increase significantly in 2026, with the arrival of overseas Vietnamese and naturalized players. It will be challenging for Dinh Bac to immediately replace the senior players this year.

However, finding his place and making the most of the playing time he gets is something we can expect from Dinh Bac. Coach Kim Sang-sik has worked with him at youth levels and understands the striker’s strengths and weaknesses well. This is a considerable advantage for Dinh Bac.

Coach Kim Sang-sik likes to keep his “trump cards” hidden up his sleeve, as he did with Tuan Hai in the 2024 AFF Cup and Thanh Nhan at SEA Games 33. Therefore, we can expect 2026 to be a turning point for Dinh Bac in the national team. He will be regularly called up and serve as a “strategic substitute” for the Korean coach.