Vietnamese national team receives the best possible news from overseas Vietnamese goalkeeper

Overseas Vietnamese goalkeeper Patrik Lê Giang disclosed that FIFA has granted him permission to represent the Vietnam national team, paving the way for him to realize his aspiration of serving domestic football.

Goalkeeper Overseas Vietnamese Patrik Lê Giang has just received the biggest career boost of his life after officially being cleared by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to play for the Vietnam national team. This special news comes at a perfect time as the 1992-born goalkeeper, along with his club Cong An Ha Noi City, secured an impressive 4-2 victory over Thép Xanh Nam Dinh to advance to the 2025/26 National Cup final.

Following the match at Thien Truong Stadium on the evening of June 11, Patrik Lê Giang could not hide his emotions while sharing about this memorable milestone in his life. He stated: "Three days ago, I received one of the most wonderful and happiest pieces of news in my life. FIFA has officially allowed me to play for the Vietnam national team. Currently, all procedural requirements have been completed, and I am ready to contribute to my country."

The joy of completing the procedures to represent the national team became even more fulfilling when Patrik and his teammates delivered a convincing performance against Nam Dinh. The police-owned team scored four goals early on and fully controlled the game. Reflecting on this crucial victory, the 33-year-old goalkeeper shared: "We knew Nam Dinh is a very strong team with many outstanding individuals. However, the whole team prepared thoroughly. Football is a team sport. Scoring four goals early made it very difficult for the opponent to mount a comeback."

Although they conceded two goals in the second half, Cong An Ha Noi City held on to secure a spot in the final. Patrik Lê Giang said: "I am truly happy that the whole team successfully protected this result. As I said, we have reached the final, and the next goal is to win the championship. My emotions right now are incredible. We fully deserved the victory today, especially in the first half with four beautiful goals. Even though we conceded two goals later, the most important thing is that the team has booked its place in the final. I am very happy and proud of my teammates."

In the championship match scheduled for June 14, Cong An Ha Noi City will face Ninh Binh FC, a team also displaying excellent form. Ahead of what is expected to be a tough contest, Patrik emphasized: "All the teams that made it to the semifinals are very strong and capable of winning to advance. I am happy that we are here. We will have to face a very strong Ninh Binh club, but the important thing is to focus on ourselves. The whole team needs to quickly recover physically to prepare well for the final."

Born in Slovakia to a Vietnamese father and a Slovak mother, Patrik Lê Giang previously played for Slovakia's U19 and U21 youth teams before returning to his father's homeland to compete. After periods playing in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the V.League, this experienced goalkeeper has finally completed the long-awaited journey to become eligible to play for the Vietnam national team. With the green light from FIFA, Patrik Lê Giang is now on the verge of realizing his dream of contributing to Vietnamese football while wearing the national team colors.