Football

Rising goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên aims to become Việt Nam's reliable last line of defence in the near future. VNS Photos Đoàn Nhật

Thanh Hà

Goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên and his teammates were over the moon when they lifted the Southeast Asian Championship trophy on July 29. Nearly two months later, he was thrilled to help Việt Nam keep clean sheets in all three qualifying matches for the U23 Asian Cup 2026.

Kiên’s outstanding performance not only played a vital role in helping Việt Nam clinch their third regional U23 title and secure a spot in the U23 Asian Cup Finals, but also earned him the firm trust of coach Kim Sang-sik, who selected him for the national team preparing for the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

Kiên started his football career in 2018 at the age of 15 when he was recruited by Hoàng Anh Gia Lai FC, in part thanks to his impressive height of 1.88 metres.

After four years of training, he was loaned to Đồng Nai FC in the Second Division, then transferred to People's Security FC in V.League 2.

The young goalkeeper is highly valued for his sharp reflexes and confident command of the penalty area.

In 2023, he returned to Hoàng Anh Gia Lai and played in the first team. Although his regular place was on the bench, Kiên was still one of the rare young goalkeepers given the opportunity to compete in the national premier league.

His career turning point came in the National U21 Football Championship last year. His team won the title, and Kiên was voted the best goalkeeper.

'King of the Penalty Stoppers'

The team's victory was special, as they beat rivals in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final through penalty shootouts, and Kiên was named "Man of the Match" each time after saving multiple penalties.

After the tournament, he was called "King of the Penalty Stoppers" of Việt Nam's youth football and became the No 1 keeper for Hoàng Anh Gia Lai's first team.

Trần Trung Kiên holds the trophy after Việt Nam won the ASEAN U23 Mandiri Cup in July in Indonesia.

According to Hoàng Anh Gia Lai's coaches, these decisive saves demonstrated Kiên's ability to read the game, judge situations, and maintain stable mentality – qualities not every young goalkeeper possesses.

He also has excellent reflexes, agility, positioning, communication skills, decision-making under pressure, and courage, which are key attributes of a successful goalkeeper.

“In my opinion, Kiên has the most potential of Việt Nam's goalkeepers at present," said former national goalie Nguyễn Thế Anh.

"He has an excellent physique, long arms, good footwork, and great command of the penalty area. I highly value Kiên. What he still lacks is composure – he’s young, so occasional haste is understandable. With time and more experience, he’ll learn to manage that better."

Kiên in action during the ASEAN U23 Mandiri Cup final in July in Indonesia.

Although Hoàng Anh Gia Lai finished only ninth last season, Kiên still stood out as one of the team's best players.

Eyes on the national stage

In the first rounds of this season, Kiên has been one of the highlights -- both for his club and the league overall.

His performance in the match between Hoàng Anh Gia Lai and HCM City Police made the TV commentator compare him to former Manchester United keeper David de Gea.

Meanwhile, his match against Hà Nội was incredible. The hosts made 21 shots at target, including at least four clear goal-scoring opportunities, but Kiên stood firm, keeping his goal perfectly protected.

“Honestly, I didn't know how I stopped them from scoring after watching the replay. It was definitely God blessing me," said Kiên.

"Seriously though, I believe that playing regularly in V.League 1 has made me more confident. I have made some progress, and I’m no longer self-conscious like before."

Kiên aims for a top performance in all his upcoming tournaments.

Coach Lê Quang Trãi praised his player after the match, saying: “He played wonderfully. He was extremely good. He shows his best quality here. This is his peak level.”

After six rounds of the league, Hoàng Anh Gia Lai remains among the bottom teams, but Kiên continues to rank as one of the best goalkeepers.

His transfer value has tripled in just a year, from 50,000 euros (US$58,000) to 150,000 euros, a record for a Vietnamese goalkeeper.

Last October, Kiên was called up to the national team for the first time as Việt Nam prepared for a friendly match against India. One year later, this October, he will join up with the team again to play Nepal in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

Kiên will compete for the No 1 goalkeeper position against experienced Đặng Văn Lâm and rising star Nguyễn Văn Việt, who has also made some outstanding performances in V.League 1.

Kiên (right) will compete with his teammates to take the No 1 goalkeeper position in the national team.

"I'm still young, so I’m not afraid of anything. If I start worrying too much or fearing mistakes, then I’m no longer truly young. I just want to keep learning and giving my best," Kiên said.

He also targets further competition, such as the 33rd SEA Games in December in Thailand, where Việt Nam will defend its title.

"After the qualifiers, my teammates and I will focus on the SEA Games. Wearing the national team jersey is a big responsibility. We will try our best to achieve the highest results in upcoming tournaments.” VNS