The Vietnamese national men's football team will play Palestine at Thiên Trường Stadium in Nam Định Province. This match is Việt Nam's only participation in the FIFA event in September. Photo VFF

Football

HÀ NỘI — Head coach Philippe Troussier has announced his 31-player squad for the friendly match against Palestine.

The inclusion of several rookies, alongside seasoned veterans, promises to bring a fresh energy to the "Golden Star Warriors" lineup.

Among the familiar faces to fans, star midfielder Đỗ Hùng Dũng is making a comeback after a lengthy out with an injury. Veteran striker Nguyễn Văn Quyết, the leading domestic scorer in the V.League 1 2023, is also part of the squad.

Only two players from Hoàng Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) FC have made the cut, Nguyễn Tuấn Anh and Đinh Thanh Bình. This squad also marks the first-time inclusion for footballers from Hà Nội Police, midfielder Phạm Văn Luân and defender Hồ Tấn Tài.

Players from Đông Á Thanh Hóa, Viettel, Becamex Bình Dương, and Hải Phòng have also been selected.

The return of Nguyễn Đức Chiến and Dương Thanh Hào has garnered high expectations. Chiến was previously called up to the Vietnamese team for the third qualifying round of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Asia back in February 2022.

Hào was known as one of the key players in the U19 squad that achieved a historic milestone by securing a spot in the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe injury during a match in the 2018 V.League 2, which appeared to jeopardise his career.

However, through his unwavering determination and relentless efforts, he made a miraculous comeback to the national top-flight league. His return came in a match between Viettel and HAGL in the V.League 1 2020, and since then, he has showcased an incredible resurgence. His inclusion in the national team this time is a testament to his indomitable spirit and unwavering desire.

The Vietnamese squad will begin training on September 1. On September 11, they will engage in an international friendly match against Palestine, scheduled to be held at Thiên Trường Stadium in Nam Định Province. This match serves as Việt Nam's sole participation in FIFA event during September.

Following this, Việt Nam will hold a training camp in China, where they will play away games against China on October 10, Uzbekistan on October 13, and South Korea on October 17.

Due to their placement within the top 100 teams globally and the top 20 teams in Asia, Việt Nam will not be required to participate in a playoff round to advance to the group stage of qualifiers for both the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

Việt Nam's World Cup qualifiers are scheduled to take place from mid-November 2023 until June 2024. VNS