Nguyễn Xuân Son (12) celebrates his goal against Thailand in the 2025 ASEAN Championship Final first leg, scoring his final goal for the national team before suffering  a long-term injury. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

 Anh Đức

Nguyễn Xuân Son was not supposed to be back this soon. Not after that injury, the kind that forces even the bravest forwards to pause, to think, to wonder whether the body can still obey the instincts that made him special.

Yet here he is, returning to the national team -- not to miraculously solve Việt Nam’s attacking woes, but rather as a reminder of what perseverance can look like in football.

His call-up has sparked debate across social media and the football community. Some argue the timing feels rushed. Others say he has not yet regained the explosiveness that once made him one of the V.League’s most feared forwards. But beneath the noise, one thing is clear: Son’s comeback is symbolic -- and perhaps exactly the kind of story the national team needs amid a turbulent period.

The debate began shortly after the roster was announced. Many questioned whether Son, still easing his way back after months on the sidelines, had done enough to deserve a return.

Critics pointed to several inconsistent performances since his recovery, saying his finishing lacked sharpness and his movement remained hesitant. They also noted his absence from this year's Golden Ball nominations. As Lao Động newspaper reported, his lengthy spell on the sidelines significantly reduced his playing time — and naturally, his votes.

But this call-up was never about awards. Nor was it a reward for statistical excellence. As Pháp Luật newspaper described, Xuân Son’s reappearance in the squad is “a symbol", not a shortcut back to stardom. It is about resilience -- the image of a player who refused to fade, who rehabilitated quietly and diligently, and who insisted that his national-team story was not finished.

If anything, his return feels like a message from the coaching staff that this team, shaken after inconsistent displays and internal pressure, needs emotional anchors as much as tactical solutions.

His journey back was difficult. Người Lao Động newspaper detailed how even his club had been cautious, allowing him limited minutes and carefully monitoring his fitness. The staff emphasised that his re-entry into the national team remains part of the healing process -- not the conclusion of it. They believe his mentality, professionalism and leadership will add value during training camps, even if he is not immediately ready for full-match intensity.

Yet it would be wrong to think he is being selected merely as a mascot. Before the injury, Son was one of Việt Nam’s most complete modern forwards --  physically strong, quick, versatile and capable of dropping deep to link play. His form had made him a certainty for the national team.

According to Tuổi Trẻ newspaper, many in the coaching team still see that version of him buried under the rust of months without football. They believe that even at 80 per cent fitness, he brings qualities that few current forwards can replicate. 

Whether he will rediscover his former brilliance remains unknown. Comebacks are rarely linear. Some players explode on their return; others take time. Some never fully regain the sharpness they lost. But Son’s recall should not be judged only by goals and assists in the next few weeks. It should be seen as a recognition of his effort to reclaim his place and an investment in a player whose ceiling, when healthy, remains top-tier.

For Việt Nam, still searching for identity and confidence in attack, he represents possibility -- the possibility that recovery can lead to resurgence; that a team in transition can still rely on individual character to lift collective spirit; and that one player’s refusal to give up might ripple through an entire squad.

Son may not yet be the striker he once was. But what he brings now -- courage, hunger, and the evidence of a hard fight back -- may be just as valuable. VNS