Xuân Son makes surprising comments about his teammates on the Vietnam national team.

Nguyễn Xuân Son sent words of support to Đỗ Duy Mạnh as he rehabilitates from injury, and also confirmed that rookie Nguyễn Tài Lộc is completely worthy of being selected for the Vietnam national squad.

Forward Nguyễn Xuân Son is gradually restoring his physical condition after a lengthy period of injury treatment, and has become one of the most anticipated players in the Vietnam national team's gathering ahead of the ASEAN Cup 2026. In a recent media session, the 1997-born striker not only shared about his own recovery process but also gave many encouraging words to captain Đỗ Duy Mạnh and newcomer Nguyễn Tài Lộc.

After returning to the pitch, Xuân Son stated that he still needs more time to regain peak form. Nevertheless, the naturalized forward affirmed that his current physical condition shows many positive signs and he is ready to give his utmost effort in the upcoming preparation period. "I have just returned from a serious injury, so I need more time to reach my best state. Right now I feel my fitness is quite stable and I will try to score, assist, and fulfill the requirements set by the coaching staff," Xuân Son shared.

Apart from his own story, the new vice-captain of the Vietnam national team also specifically mentioned Đỗ Duy Mạnh, who is still undergoing injury treatment. According to Xuân Son, the Hà Nội FC center-back is not only a key cog in coach Kim Sang Sik's tactical system but also a close friend off the pitch. The striker expressed hope that Duy Mạnh will recover soon to rejoin the team in their campaign to defend the regional title.

Beyond showing concern for the core players, Xuân Son also highly praised Nguyễn Tài Lộc, a face called up to the national team for the first time. The Brazilian-born striker believes that the young center-back has performed consistently for many years in the V.League and fully deserves this opportunity. He also affirmed that the senior players in the team will support Tài Lộc to help him quickly integrate into the new environment, thereby maximizing his potential in the national team jersey.

On the other hand, Xuân Son also showed absolute respect for the professional decisions of coach Kim Sang Sik. In light of the expectations placed on the Vietnam national team's attack, the striker emphasized that his role is simply to train hard, score goals, and contribute, while the choice of the starting lineup rests with the coaching staff. According to Xuân Son, the team currently has many quality players, and competition will make the whole squad stronger.

According to the plan, the Vietnam national team will continue training in Hanoi until the end of July 1st before departing for a training camp in South Korea from July 2nd to 14th. During this period, coach Kim Sang Sik and his players will play three friendly matches to assess the squad, refine their playing style, and help the players reach their best condition before embarking on the journey to defend the ASEAN Cup 2026 championship.