Childhood photos of Dinh Bac and Trung Kien have been unearthed, shocking the online community.

The U23 Vietnam team's undefeated run in the group stage of the U23 Asian Championship was not only built on spectacular goals and saves, but also on the heartwarming childhood stories and the inspiring determination of these young players.

In their undefeated run in the group stage of the U23 Asian Championship, the Vietnam U23 team not only made their mark with impressive results but also moved fans with the stories behind the glory of these young players. From spectacular goals and breathtaking saves to a series of unexpected childhood photos, the current U23 generation is receiving special attention from the public.

The most outstanding among them was striker Nguyen Dinh Bac. Throughout the three group stage matches, the player born in 2004 consistently shone and directly contributed to the victories of the Vietnam U23 team. In particular, in the match against Saudi Arabia U23, Dinh Bac impressed experts and fans alike with a spectacular shot into an extremely tight angle – a situation that, statistically, only had about a 5% chance of resulting in a goal. This goal was quickly shared widely, becoming a highlight of the tournament.

Alongside his on-field performances, childhood photos of Dinh Bac have unexpectedly gone viral on social media. In a photo taken with his parents and older sister, young Dinh Bac attracted attention with his confident demeanor. Many jokingly commented that his pose already exuded a "leader" aura from a young age, and also reminded people of the affectionate nickname "Bac Coi" (Skinny Bac) his family used to call him.

Few people know that the path to pursuing professional football for the striker from Nghe An province was fraught with difficulties. In the 8th grade, Dinh Bac was rejected from the Song Lam Nghe An youth training center because he did not meet the physical requirements. However, the support from his family helped him not give up. Speaking to Tri Thuc – Znews, Mr. Dinh Ap, Dinh Bac's father, once said: "We thought that if we didn't let our son pursue what he wanted, he would regret it later." Currently, Dinh Bac is playing for Hanoi Police FC and is considered one of the great hopes of Vietnamese football.

Besides Dinh Bac, goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien also left a strong impression. In the match against U23 Saudi Arabia, Trung Kien made 7 saves, earning him the nickname "Spider-Man" in the U23 Vietnam goal, according to FotMob statistics. The goalkeeper, born in 2003, has consistently been trusted by coach Kim Sang-sik to be the starting goalkeeper, from the SEA Games 33 to the U23 Asian Championship 2026.

With a height of 1.91m and a handsome appearance, Trung Kien is affectionately called the "male god" of the national team by his fans. His childhood photos, especially the one of him wearing a red jersey with an innocent face, quickly attracted attention. Many commented that the image of Trung Kien comfortably catching the ball after his saves now is not much different from the boy he was back then.

Trung Kien is a product of the Hoang Anh Gia Lai youth academy. Last year, he won the gold medal with the Vietnam U22 team at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, before going on to win the 2023 Southeast Asian U23 Championship in Indonesia. In 2024, this young goalkeeper was honored with the title of Best Goalkeeper at the National U21 Championship.

In another corner, Nguyen Le Phat – the youngest player on the team – also received much attention on his 19th birthday, coinciding with the crucial match between Vietnam U23 and Saudi Arabia U23. The striker, born in 2007, shared a moment of blowing out his birthday candles when he was just 8 years old, with a gentle face and innocent smile that has remained almost unchanged over the years.

Despite being called up as a replacement due to Bui Vi Hao's injury, Le Phat has shown clear potential. In the match against U23 Kyrgyzstan, he earned a crucial penalty for his team. Prior to that, in a friendly match against U23 Syria, Le Phat also scored the only goal for U23 Vietnam, proving his worth whenever given the opportunity.

Who is the Vietnamese U23 goalkeeper who was mentioned by VTV and praised profusely by the Saudi Arabian coaching staff? Sông Trăng15:44:23 13/01/2026Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien is the brightest star after the match against U23 Saudi Arabia thanks to his spectacular saves for U23 Vietnam. Not only was he honored by VTV, the young goalkeeper also received a shower of praise from the international coaching staff.