The possibility of Dinh Bac being called up to play in Asiad 20 has been ruled out.

As reported by Thanh Nien Newspaper, coach Kim Sang-sik has confirmed the squad for the U23 Vietnam team for ASIAD 20, thus closing the door on Nguyen Dinh Bac's participation.

According to sources from Thanh Nien Newspaper, the chance for young striker Nguyen Dinh Bac to appear at ASIAD 20 has officially ended, as coach Kim Sang-sik made a definitive decision regarding the U23 Vietnam squad.

Previously, there were many reports suggesting that players like Nguyen Dinh Bac or Khuat Van Khang could still be added to the ASIAD 20 campaign. However, the latest developments indicate that the Korean coach firmly refuses to use over-age players, even though tournament regulations allow each team to register up to three players above 23 years old, similar to ASIAD 18 in 2018.

Instead of utilizing this "privilege," coach Kim Sang-sik chooses to place trust in the pure U23 generation, viewing this as an important opportunity for young talents to accumulate international experience. The composition of the U23 Vietnam team is expected to include the U21 group born from 2005 to 2007, combined with about 5–6 standout players who recently secured third place at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026.

Notably, more experienced players such as Nguyen Dinh Bac, Tran Trung Kien, Khuat Van Khang, or Nhat Minh will not participate in ASIAD 20. Instead, they are retained to serve the national team in its journey to defend the championship at the AFF Cup, scheduled from July 24 to August 26.

On the other hand, players like Xuan Bac, Minh Phuc, Van Thuan, Le Phat, or Van Binh will form the core of U23 Vietnam at ASIAD 20, combined with the younger U21 cohort. This is seen as a strategic preparation step towards SEA Games 34 in 2027 and the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2028.

Additionally, the dense competition schedule in September also significantly impacts personnel planning. As the Vietnam national team participates in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 nearly overlapping with ASIAD 20 (September 15–October 3), it is likely that coach Kim Sang-sik will prioritize leading the national team, while assistant coach Dinh Hong Vinh is tasked with temporarily managing the U23 Vietnam team at the continental arena.

With this decision, the door to ASIAD 20 for Nguyen Dinh Bac is considered closed, while opening a major opportunity for the young generation of players to prove themselves on a big stage.