Nguyen Trong Dai stopped selling sims, reappeared in the backyard in hiding, did he "catch" Quang Hai?

After a period of hiding, Nguyen Trong Dai has just returned to the field in a way that no one expected. The current situation of the one-time football star makes many people sad.

Recently, Nguyen Trong Dai – former captain of Vietnam U19, the brightest talent of youth football, once on par with Quang Hai – suddenly reappeared in the colors of Gia Dinh Club in the 2025 National Second Division, after a long time almost absent from the field.

In the match against Vinh Long, Trong Dai appeared in the starting lineup of the team from Ho Chi Minh City. HCM. This is the first time after many months of not playing, the 28-year-old striker has made an official appearance in a professional tournament. He played in the familiar central midfield position and contributed to helping his teammates win 2-0 against the opponent.

Trong Dai's return attracted attention because previously, this player was a name that was expected to become a pillar of Vietnamese football. He stood out from the time he was wearing the Viettel youth team and especially shone at the 2015 Southeast Asian U19 Championship as well as the Asian U19 finals in the same year.

Moreover, Trong Dai also wore the captain's armband of Vietnam U19 and participated in the 2017 U20 World Cup – a historical milestone of the country's football. He is also a member of the Vietnam U23 team that won the runner-up title at the 2018 Asian U23 Championship under coach Park Hang-seo.

However, after the early sublimation of his career, Trong Dai faced many difficulties in the process of professional development, suffering from star disease. In 2017, he was stripped of the captain's armband of Vietnam U20 for violating internal regulations. After that, the Hai Duong midfielder did not find a solid foothold in the Viettel club shirt and continuously changed teams in the past few years.

At the beginning of the 2023 season, Trong Dai signed a contract with Binh Dinh Club, but after only a few months, the contract between the two parties was liquidated due to this player's violation of team discipline. Since then, the former captain of the Vietnamese team did not play in any professional club until he suddenly appeared in the Second Division this year.

Before the match of Gia Dinh FC, there was not much information about Trong Dai's return. According to some sources, he has been training with this team since early May 2025 and is registered in the club's official competition list at this year's tournament.

The fact that Trong Dai chose to compete in the Second Division – the third lowest level in the Vietnamese professional football system – surprised many fans, especially when many former teammates such as Quang Hai, Bui Tien Dung or Hoang Duc are still playing in the V.League.

According to experts, Trong Dai's participation in the Second Division shows that he still wants to maintain his football career and may be looking for a way to start over after years of unsatisfactory years.

In the debut match, Trong Dai played with a round shoulder, did not score but contributed positively to the team's overall play. Although he has not reached the highest form, his performance is considered stable by the coaching staff and is capable of continuing to play in the next rounds.

At the age of 27, Trong Dai still has time to rebuild his career, but the journey back to top football will not be easy. In the Second Division, the competition conditions are not guaranteed as at higher levels, and the media and fans pay little attention.

However, this may be a necessary start for him to find inspiration to play football again and create a foundation for his return in the near future. Supported by Trong Dai, it is inevitable that he will be ironically cured of the "star disease" who has just returned to play.

Not long ago, social networks continuously spread the image of the midfielder from Hai Duong. From the photo, he appeared with a thin and dazzling face. In particular, the player made many people worried when he had to sell his phone sim because he needed money. In the comment section of the post, in addition to expressing surprise, many people also expressed regret for the young talent.

Trong Dai: Once Quang Hai's equal, star disease lost his career, went to sell sim cards? Hướng Dương2 months agoFor those who love and follow Vietnamese football regularly, the name Nguyen Trong Dai is no stranger. He was once considered to be on par with Quang Hai but lost his career due to many incidents.