Thái Sơn recalls the chilling moment following his severe injury

Midfielder Nguyễn Thái Sơn, one of the mainstays of Vietnam U23 at the 2026 U23 Asian Championship and SEA Games 33, stunned Vietnamese supporters with an ACL injury right in his first game for Ninh Bình Club.

According to the latest updates, Nguyễn Thái Sơn is scheduled to undergo surgery for his right knee ACL on February 6 in Ho Chi Minh City, the same place where defender Nguyễn Hiểu Minh had surgery for a similar injury during the 2026 U23 Asian Championship. Medical staff estimate that Thái Sơn will need about 8 to 9 months for full recovery, depending on his physiotherapy progress and the body’s regeneration speed.

The injury occurred during the match between CAHN and Ninh Bình on the evening of February 1 in the V.League. After a moment without contact with any player, Thái Sơn suddenly fell to the ground, clutching his leg in pain and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher. An MRI scan later confirmed he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Recalling the fateful moment, Thái Sơn told VTC-News: “I think my body was probably fatigued without me realizing it. I didn’t have any issues before the match. In fact, the injury happened in a very simple situation, I just stepped back when the opponent was dribbling, and I distinctly heard the sound of the ligament tearing.”

The match against CAHN was also Thái Sơn’s official debut wearing the Ninh Bình jersey, after leaving Đông Á Thanh Hóa to join the ancient capital team Hoa Lư alongside Văn Thuận and Ngọc Mỹ. Coach Gerard Albadalejo brought him on at the start of the second half, and just about 20 minutes into play, disaster struck. Although his time on the field was brief, Thái Sơn made a positive impact in midfield before the injury forced him off.

Sharing more about his current condition, the midfielder from Thanh Hóa said: “I will have surgery this week; there is no other option. Right now, I’m just resting at the club. Hopefully, I will recover well and return to the pitch. I appreciate the concern and support from fans, club leaders, family, friends, and colleagues.”

At the club level, Thái Sơn is also a true “war machine.” Before moving to Ninh Bình, he played all 11 matches for Đông Á Thanh Hóa in the first half of the 2025/26 V.League season. Therefore, it is understandable that he did not notice signs of overload before the injury, which also highlights the demanding schedule faced by young players.