Football

Captain Khuất Văn Khang of the national U23 team. VNS Photos Thành Công

Thanh Hà and Thành Công

HÀ NỘI — When U23 Việt Nam faced South Korea in a high-stakes penalty shoot-out for the Asian Cup bronze medal, captain Khuất Văn Khang did what he has done throughout his career: took responsibility first, and led the team to victory.

When coach Kim Sang-sik asked who wanted to take the first kick, captain Khuất Văn Khang stepped up to assume responsibility.

His proactive approach created a huge psychological boost, helping the entire team maintain absolute composure to successfully convert all seven penalties, as Việt Nam beat powerhouse U23 South Korea and brought home the medal.

Medal hunter

It was not the first time that Khang volunteered to take charge of challenging roles in the team. His talent and bravery have been proven, making him the nation's most successful young player in history with the bronze medal in Saudi Arabia.

At age 23, Khang has played for the national teams for nine years and has become one of the most decorated stars in Việt Nam. It is a record that few of his colleagues will be able to reach.

Khang's parents take care of his huge medal collection.

The Thể Công-Viettel midfielder is the only player to have won four Southeast Asian Championship titles and a SEA Games gold medal.

His national team debut came in 2017 when coach Vũ Hồng Việt called him up for the U15 championship. Later, he was picked for the U17s, U19s, U23s and then the full national team.

When he was called up to participate in the 2022 U23 Asian Championship, he was only 18 years old. Despite his youth, Khang is typically a regular player in all coaches' plans, and was even captain of all junior and youth squads.

In his national debut in 2017, he won the Southeast Asian title with the U15 team, a smooth beginning for his later career. He won three subsequent regional titles with the U16s in 2018 and U23s in 2023 and 2025.

Khang (left) in a training session for the U23 Asian Cup 2026.

The player also won gold with the national team in the AFF Cup in 2024 and was member of the U22s that brought the 33rd SEA Games trophy home last December.

In addition, he pocketed a bronze in the regional U19 championship in 2022 and a bronze at the 32nd SEA Games in 2023.

Moreover, he is also the only Vietnamese player to have taken part in three editions of the U23 Asian Cup, in which he helped Việt Nam advance to the quarter finals in 2022 and 2024, and semi-finals this year.

A multi-functional player

Khang was born in 2003 to his builder father and tofu seller mother in Phúc Lộc Commune on the outskirts of Hà Nội. He fell in love with football from around five years old and became a member of the school team when he was 10, usually playing with teammates who were two or three years older than him.

Khang runs to evade the Kyrgyzstan opposition during the U23 Asian Cup 2026.

In the summer of 2013, Khang was recruited to Viettel Sport Centre but his parents did not want him to have a career in sport.

Khang said he didn't dare argue, but instead locked himself away in his room and didn't eat or drink for three days. Feeling sorry for their son and recognising the determination in the child, his father reluctantly agreed on one condition: that he must learn to be a decent person before becoming a good football player.

"Spirit and expertise must always go hand in hand. A positive spirit is the foundation, while expertise and discipline will determine the outcome," said Khang.

The player has become one of the most versatile footballers in the country. In Saudi Arabia, the coach placed him, one of the smallest players in the tournament, in four different positions across six matches, switching from a forward and winger to defender and midfielder, depending on the requirements at the time.

Khuất Văn Khang (centre) poses with his gold medal of the 33rd SEA Games.

This gave the team more options amidst a packed schedule and the ever-present risk of injury.

He not only fulfilled his duties but also shone in every position assigned to him, demonstrating superior tactical thinking compared to players of his age.

"In every match, I give my best, running tirelessly. At that time, it isn't just physical strength but also the strength of spirit," said Khang.

"As the team captain, I always stay focused to execute the coach's tactics correctly and boost the morale of the entire team on the field," he added. "Our motivation is the national flag on our left chest and millions of Vietnamese people supporting us. These are the driving force for me and the whole team to strive towards high goals."

After Việt Nam's successful U23 Asian Cup, some of the players are expected to join the national team for upcoming Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers in March. There, Khang expects to gain another cap with the squad and help Việt Nam beat Malaysia to maintain its hope of qualifying for the finals, which are also in Saudi Arabia. — VNS

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