OFFICIAL: AFF Honors Vietnam U17's Best Player

Vietnam U17 concluded their impressive journey at the 2026 Southeast Asia U17 Championship with a convincing championship title, and the standout name was none other than Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc.

With an outstanding performance throughout the tournament, the midfielder born in 2009 was honored as the tournament's best player, becoming the driving force that led the "Golden Star Young Warriors" to the regional summit.

In the final match against Malaysia U17, Vietnam U17 continued to demonstrate superior strength with a 3-0 victory. Although he did not directly score in the final match, Nguyen Luc still left a strong impression with his role in organizing play and delivering breakthrough passes. It was he who made the clever through pass for Van Duong to score, raising the score to 2-0 at the end of the first half, laying the foundation for the overall victory.

Earlier, in the semifinal against Australia U17, Nguyen Luc continued to show his influence by scoring the decisive goal from a well-executed set-piece combination, helping Vietnam U17 win 2-1. This play clearly demonstrated tactical coordination as well as the player's ability to choose position and execute sharp finishing, showcasing the number 10 jersey player.

Particularly, Nguyen Luc's most significant mark came from the 10-0 victory over Timor-Leste U17 in the group stage. In the 5th minute, he opened the scoring with a superb free kick from a narrow angle, sending the ball on an incredible trajectory that left the opposing goalkeeper helpless. By the 31st minute, it was again Nguyen Luc with a perfect direct free kick, raising the score to 4-0. These two scoring moments not only showed superior individual skill but also confirmed him as the "dead-ball specialist" of Vietnam U17.

Overall in the tournament, Nguyen Luc scored 4 goals and made many important contributions to the overall gameplay. He was the "link" between defense and the forward line in Coach Cristiano Roland's 4-1-4-1 formation, and also a breakthrough factor in set-piece situations.

Before shining in the Southeast Asia arena, Nguyen Luc had already attracted attention by scoring against Dortmund U16 in 2023. He continued to affirm his talent by winning the best player award at the 2025 National U17 Finals, contributing greatly to helping Hanoi U17 successfully defend their championship title.

With what he has demonstrated, Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc is not only the best player of the 2026 Southeast Asia U17 Championship but is also expected to become a pillar of Vietnamese football in the future. After the regional championship, he and Vietnam U17 will aim for a bigger challenge at the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals, where this young talent promises to continue shining.