Striker Nguyễn Văn Quyết competes in the V.League 1 this year. — Photo courtesy of Hà Nội FC

HÀ NỘI — Striker Nguyễn Văn Quyết of Hà Nội FC has officially become the Vietnamese player with the most goals in V.League 1 history, scoring his 117th goal.

In a recent match against Hải Phòng, Quyết was substituted in during the second half and immediately made an impact. He assisted Joao Pedro for the equaliser at 1-1 and then scored himself to put the capital team ahead 2-1. Hải Phòng later equalised to finish the match 2-2.

This milestone goal marks Quyết’s, during 15 seasons of V.League 1, means he has surpassed former striker Lê Công Vinh's record by one goal, making him the top domestic striker in the tournament's history.

However, Quyết still trails behind the naturalised player of Nigerian origin, Hoàng Vũ Samson, who holds the record with 218 goals. Following him is the naturalised Argentine player, (Gaston) Đỗ Merlo, with 147 goals. Nonetheless, Quyết’s achievements are a source of pride for the captain of the capital team.

Coach Lê Đức Tuấn of Hà Nội FC congratulated Quyết, stating: "Quyết will be a player who is often mentioned in the future. His contributions to Hà Nội and the national team will serve as an example for other players to follow and strive to surpass."

Quyết began his V.League 1 career in 2011 and has scored in every season since. According to statistics from Soccerway, his highest-scoring season was in 2015, when he netted 13 goals. At 33, Quyết continues to demonstrate resilience and perseverance, qualities that are rare among professional players.

Quyết has won the Vietnamese Golden Ball twice, in 2020 and 2022, and the Vietnamese Silver Ball twice, in 2014 and 2015. VNS