Replacing Dinh Bac, Vietnam U23 finalizes a 1.81m tall 'goal-scoring assassin'

Vietnam U23 continues to reinforce its youthful lineup with coach Kim Sang-sik summoning HAGL forward Nguyen Minh Tam, the 1.81m tall scorer anticipated to take over Dinh Bac's role in the upcoming gathering.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has recently announced the personnel list for Vietnam U23 for the training camp preparing for the CFA Team China Cup 2026. Accordingly, young forward Nguyen Minh Tam of HAGL has been called up to the U23 national team by coach Kim Sang-sik, promising to bring a fresh dynamic to the team's attack.

Nguyen Minh Tam is currently one of the notable young talents at HAGL in the V.League. Up to the present moment, the 2006-born striker has made 11 appearances for the Mountain City club, including 8 matches as a starter. Despite his youth, the 1.81m tall forward has scored 3 goals, becoming HAGL's top scorer this season.

This is only Nguyen Minh Tam's second season participating in the V.League. Last season, he had only 4 appearances after being promoted to the first team in the latter stage. However, this season, the young forward has shown clear improvement, featuring in all 10 of HAGL's matches, with 7 starts from the outset.

Possessing a height of 1.81m and versatile finishing ability, Nguyen Minh Tam is regarded as a promising "rising star" for HAGL as owner Duc is determined to rejuvenate the squad. Before proving himself in the V.League, this forward gained experience in lower-tier competitions playing for Quang Ngai Club in the Third and Second Divisions, and later for Long An in the First Division.

Notably, Nguyen Minh Tam's playing style is noted by many to share similarities with former striker Le Cong Vinh. The young striker stands out due to his good acceleration, intelligent positioning to receive passes from the backline, and decisive finishing inside the penalty area.

The call-up of Nguyen Minh Tam is part of the U23 coaching staff's plan to build a succession force for Vietnamese football. After many key players from previous U23 generations have exceeded the age limit or been promoted to the national team, the coaching staff is actively seeking and testing new talents.

This Vietnam U23 training camp aims not only at the friendly tournament CFA Team China Cup 2026 in China, but also long-term preparation for the more important goal of men's football at the Asian Games 2026 scheduled for September.

The core of Vietnam U23 in this gathering mainly consists of players from the 2005–2007 age group. Many of them have matured from youth teams like Vietnam U19, U20, and U23, and are expected to become crucial successors for the nation's football in the future.