Xuan Son "shocked" Vietnamese football, coach Kim Sang Sik "cried" because of 1 thing?

Nguyen Xuan Son, from foreign player Rafaelson, was nominated for Best Foreign Player, became a pillar of the national team, won the double title of Top Scorer and Best Player. This change created a special situation for the award organizers.

The story begins when the Golden Ball nomination list was finalized in November 2024. At that time, although he had Vietnamese nationality, Nguyen Xuan Son had not yet officially played for the national team. In the previous period, he made a strong impression playing for Nam Dinh Club with his original name Rafaelson, and that was the reason he was nominated in the Best Foreign Player category.

However, in just two short months, everything has changed completely. The 2024 AFF Cup witnessed Nguyen Xuan Son's brilliant performance, contributing greatly to the championship of the Vietnamese team. He not only proved his worth on the field but also affirmed his irreplaceable position in the squad.

The case of Nguyen Xuan Son is a unique phenomenon. In the history of the Vietnam Golden Ball Awards, there has never been a foreign player who, after being nominated for the title of Best Foreign Player, played for the Vietnamese national team and made such a deep impression while the voting was still taking place.

Experts agree that if Nguyen Xuan Son is nominated for the Golden Ball, he is fully capable of competing fairly with his teammates thanks to his outstanding performance at the AFF Cup. However, the regulations have been issued, and the 2024 Golden Ball race will only take place between the 24 players who have been nominated.

In the context of Nguyen Xuan Son becoming a special phenomenon, Vietnamese football is also facing a big challenge. Xuan Son's injury in the second leg of the AFF Cup 2024 final caused him to miss most of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, creating a big challenge for coach Kim Sang Sik in building a strong and stable Vietnamese team.

Nguyen Xuan Son’s importance to the Vietnam national team is undeniable. He is not only a great scorer but also a source of inspiration and motivation for the whole team. His absence will create a big gap in the attack, affecting the spirit and confidence of his teammates.

Furthermore, Vietnam's direct competitor in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Malaysia, is actively implementing a plan to naturalize players, similar to what Indonesia did. This further increases the pressure on coach Kim Sang Sik to help the Vietnamese team win a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia.

However, in difficulty there is always opportunity. The absence of Nguyen Xuan Son also opens up an opportunity for coach Kim Sang Sik to demonstrate his talent and courage. However, to achieve special marks like his compatriot Park Hang Seo, coach Kim Sang Sik still has a long way to go. Defeating Thailand twice is a commendable achievement, but that is not enough to affirm his position in the hearts of fans.

The absence of Nguyen Xuan Son, along with the time spent working and learning more about Vietnamese football, will be an opportunity for Coach Kim Sang Sik to prove his true ability. This is the time for Coach Kim Sang Sik to show his new "tricks", breakthrough tactics, and flexible improvisation in difficult situations.

The story of Nguyen Xuan Son and the challenge for Coach Kim Sang Sik are creating a colorful picture for Vietnamese football. It is a difficult problem, an opportunity for a coach to prove his talent and courage. Everyone is looking to the future, waiting for new steps of Vietnamese football under the leadership of Coach Kim Sang Sik.

Xuan Son "lying in the air" also has a prize, has to give up crutches to return to the V-League? Khang Trần17:42:16 08/02/2025Nguyen Xuan Son, a striker of Nam Dinh Club and Vietnam National Team, has been voted the Best Player of the V-League in January 2025 even though he is still in the process of injury treatment. With a remarkable achievement, it has made the whole Vietnamese football village admire.