Burnley, May 12, 2025 – Brandon Ly, a 19-year-old Irish-Vietnamese defender with Burnley FC’s U21 squad, has voiced his ambition to represent the Vietnam national football team and join the V.League, inspired by his Vietnamese heritage. Currently with Burnley, who are pushing for Premier League promotion from the EFL Championship (2nd, 38 points after 21 rounds, per Sky Sports), Ly is in early talks with a V.League club, per Bongdaplus.vn.
Born in Ireland to a Vietnamese father, Ly holds dual citizenship, making him eligible for Vietnam’s “Golden Star Warriors” without naturalization, unlike Filip Nguyen, who completed citizenship in 2024, per Wikipedia. “Half my blood is Vietnamese,” Ly said in an interview. “I dream of playing for Vietnam and helping them shine internationally, maybe even at the World Cup. It would make my father proud.” His composure and game-reading ability as a center-back or defensive midfielder, honed in Burnley’s U21 PL Cup (one appearance), draw comparisons to Hanoi Police FC’s Nguyen Thanh Chung, per Vietnam Football Scout.
Ly, who has visited Vietnam and follows the V.League, praised Vietnam’s 2024 AFF Cup triumph, their third title, sealed with a 2-0 final win over Thailand, per VFF. “I watched every AFF Cup match,” he noted. “Joining that squad is my goal.” Vietnam’s recent 5-0 rout of Laos in the 2026 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, led by Nguyen Tien Linh’s hat-trick, underscores their regional dominance, per Sofascore. Ly’s potential addition could bolster a defense that conceded just two goals in five AFF Cup matches, akin to The Cong Viettel’s solidity.
Negotiations with an unnamed V.League club—possibly Hanoi FC or Nam Dinh FC, given their AFC Champions League Two ambitions—mark Ly’s intent to return to his father’s homeland, per Bongdaplus.vn. Nam Dinh FC, leading the 2024-2025 V.League with 45 points, and Hanoi FC (40 points) are attractive destinations, per Soccer24. Ly’s versatility could fill gaps left by departing stars like Dang Van Lam at Binh Dinh FC, echoing Hoang Anh Gia Lai’s youth integration.
Ly’s path mirrors overseas Vietnamese players like Dang Van Lam (40 caps) and Nguyen Filip, who debuted in 2024, per Wikipedia. Coach Kim Sang-sik, open to Viet kieu talent, may eye Ly for the 2026 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, per VFF. With Vietnam ranked 97th globally and aiming for a 2026 World Cup berth, Ly’s 6-foot-1 frame and Premier League academy experience could elevate their backline, mirroring Song Lam Nghe An’s defensive grit. As Ly trains at Burnley’s 3,000-capacity Turf Moor, his journey, backed by Thanh Hoa FC-like fan passion, could soon see him don Vietnam’s red jersey in Hanoi’s 40,000-seat Hang Day Stadium.
Leave a Reply