The Vietnam National Team has arrived in Laos to prepare for their opening match in the ASEAN Cup 2024. According to the tournament’s regulations, the Vietnam team will only be allowed to familiarize themselves with the official match venue, the Laos National Stadium, on December 8, one day before the match.
Therefore, the training sessions on December 6 and 7 took place at the Laos Football Federation’s training ground. This training ground does not have floodlights, so the sessions were held from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, while there was still daylight.
However, this was not a major obstacle for coach Kim Sang Sik and his players, as the team has undergone two weeks of focused preparation and is nearly fully ready for the tournament.
Even the trio of Nam Định players—Nguyen Van Toan, Nguyen Van Vi, and Nguyen Xuan Son—who joined the team recently, have quickly adapted and integrated with their teammates. Additionally, the team received good news as striker Pham Tuan Hai has fully recovered from his injury and actively participated in the training sessions.
Speaking to the media before the training, Brazilian-born forward Nguyen Xuan Son expressed his joy: “I am very happy to be part of the Vietnam National Team. Playing for the national team is a dream and desire of every professional footballer. And now, I am a Vietnamese player. I am here in Laos, with the best and most in-form players of Vietnamese football, coached by an excellent coach. Everything is wonderful.”
The V-League 2024/2025 top scorer continued: “I had a very interesting debut with the Vietnam National Team. That moment was more surprising than anything I had imagined. Although I was initially unfamiliar with the environment, I never felt alone because my teammates and coach have supported and helped me so much. I am truly enjoying this wonderful time in my life. I am so happy!”
Regarding his integration with the team, Xuan Son shared: “Previously, I had never played for the Vietnam National Team, but I’ve played in the V-League for 5 years and know many of the national team players. Some of them were my teammates and friends from previous clubs. We have shared a lot, including my personal goals and aspirations when called up to the national team. I will try to adapt to every training session and match and hope I can contribute to the Vietnam National Team in the ASEAN Cup 2024.”
Xuan Son added: “The Vietnam National Team players are top-level players in the V-League. I somewhat understand their style and skills. Of course, we need time to train and become a cohesive unit. I will do my best and bring the experience I have from Nam Định to adapt to Coach Kim Sang Sik’s system.”
Regarding Tiến Linh, Xuan Son remarked: “I think the competition between me and him is positive. I understand that I can support Tiến Linh or take on any role the coach asks of me. What matters is contributing to the overall success of the national team. Tiến Linh is a top-class striker, and I believe the coach will know how to arrange the best lineup.”
Finally, Xuan Son expressed: “I want to thank the Vietnamese fans. My family and I have lived in Vietnam long enough to feel the warmth, friendliness, and closeness of the people. I will give my best, for every victory, for the goals, and for the titles of the Vietnam National Team.”
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