All of Southeast Asia is eagerly anticipating the showdown between Quang Hai and Chanathip.

The encounter between CAHN and BG Pathum is especially noteworthy as both teams feature their respective football icons, Quang Hai and Chanathip.

The most anticipated highlight of the opening round of the 2025/2026 Southeast Asian Club Cup will be the reunion of two of the region’s top stars: Nguyen Quang Hai and Chanathip Songkrasin. Since the AFF Cup 2021 semifinals, this will be their first direct meeting on the pitch.

This highly awaited match takes place in the ASEAN Champions League, with Quang Hai’s CAHN traveling to Pathum Thani to face Chanathip’s Pathum United. It’s not just a battle between two clubs, but also a duel between two of the region’s most storied football nations. Adding to the intrigue, CAHN’s coach Mano Polking will reunite with several of his former Thai national team players now at Pathum United, including Chanathip, Ekanit Panya, Sarach Yooyen, and Patrik Gustavson.

In recent years, Quang Hai and Chanathip have been regarded as two of the brightest football icons in Vietnam and Thailand. Both players possess exceptional technical skills, sharp tactical awareness, and the ability to make game-changing plays.

The last time Quang Hai and Chanathip faced each other was in the two-legged semifinals of the 2021 AFF Cup, where Vietnam lost to Thailand by an aggregate score of 0-2. In the first leg, Chanathip shone with both goals, while Quang Hai was Vietnam’s standout performer. However, Quang Hai’s individual brilliance was not enough to turn the tide for Vietnam.

Nicknamed the “Thai Messi,” Chanathip proved his talent in Japan’s J.League, while Quang Hai has been the driving force behind many of Vietnam’s major football successes. Though neither is at their peak anymore, their appeal remains undiminished.

With both teams boasting multiple national team players, the match promises to be intense and dramatic. Group A of this season’s ASEAN Champions League is considered the “group of death,” featuring strong teams like Buriram United, Pathum United, CAHN, Selangor, and Tampines Rovers.