The 'heroes' of Vietnam's U23 team return to the domestic stage.

The bronze medal at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship brought immense pride to Vietnam's U23 team and ignited high hopes for this promising young generation. However, upon returning to the intense grind of the V-League 2025/26, most of these players are facing the harsh realities at the club level.

What unfolds in the V-League shows that the nation's top-tier league is not an easy stage for anyone to shine, even for those who just stepped down from continental glory. Within this multi-faceted picture, the most prominent name currently is Khuất Văn Khang.

The midfielder for Thể Công Viettel is demonstrating clear maturity in both form and role on the field. In just the last two rounds of the V-League, Văn Khang scored 3 goals and provided assists, directly contributing to Thể Công Viettel overcoming Ninh Bình and maintaining pressure in the championship race with CAHN.

Another bright spot from the U23 cohort is Minh Phúc in the colors of CAHN. This defender made his mark with a goal in the comeback victory against HAGL, helping Coach Alexandre Polking's team maintain their top position in the standings.

However, Minh Phúc's journey at the club has not been entirely smooth. He has frequently been on the bench recently due to CAHN's squad boasting many experienced attacking stars. This shows that even players who shone at the U23 level may not secure a stable position upon returning to the fiercely competitive environment of professional football.

Nguyễn Thái Quốc Cường is a player with more playing opportunities than Minh Phúc and is giving Coach Lê Huỳnh Đức considerable peace of mind at CATP.HCM. Quốc Cường plays in an attacking midfield support role and, alongside Văn Khang, is one of the two Vietnam U23 players with 3 goals after 15 rounds. Goalkeeper Cao Văn Bình is likely also in high spirits after a good run of matches at SLNA, helping his team escape the bottom group.

Meanwhile, the majority of the remaining Vietnam U23 players are struggling to establish themselves at their clubs. Midfielder Văn Thuận of Ninh Bình FC is a typical example. After the U23 Asian Championship, he was expected to become a key figure in the ancient capital team's championship ambitions. But Ninh Bình's recent slump has put heavy pressure on the young players, and Văn Thuận himself has made regrettable mistakes.

Another former Thanh Hóa player who moved to Ninh Bình, Thái Sơn, even faced a serious injury that interrupted his development. Also a Thanh Hóa player (now with Ninh Bình but loaned back to Thanh Hóa), Ngọc Mỹ is struggling in the relegation battle alongside the Thanh region club.

Also fighting to avoid relegation are the group of players from PVF CAND like Lý Đức, Xuân Bắc, Thanh Nhàn, Anh Quân. At HAGL, Trung Kiên's excellence alone cannot save a defense with many flaws. HAGL has lost their last two matches and ranks 11th out of 14, only 3 points above the bottom-placed PVF CAND. Phi Hoàng at the 13th-ranked club SHB Đà Nẵng is also battling for survival.

Even previously notable names like Viktor Lê at Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh are fading, despite having many playing opportunities. But it must be mentioned that Đình Bắc, the standout player of Vietnam's U23 team, is still searching for his first goal in this season's V-League.

Looking broader, the disparity between success at the youth national team and performance in the V-League is not surprising. A short-term tournament like the U23 Asian Championship allows players to explode in a few matches, but the V-League is a prolonged race demanding consistency, stamina, and mental fortitude.

This truly is a testing phase for the potential stars. The glory of a youth tournament can fade quickly, but only those who overcome the challenges in the V-League will truly have the opportunity to become pillars of Vietnamese football in the future.