Portuguese Coach speaks honestly about Xuân Son's performance

Coach Jeronimo explains why Xuân Son scores easily in international competitions but fails to find the net when returning to the V-League.

The narrow defeat against Viettel in the rescheduled round 10 match has caused Nam Định to remain stuck in a performance slump. The Thành Nam team extended their winless streak in the V.League to 8 matches, missing the chance to improve their position on the league table. The game at Hàng Đẫy Stadium was decided by a single goal from Nhật Nam, while Nam Định’s offense continued to disappoint.

The main focus after the match was the form of striker Xuân Son. Since returning from injury, this forward has yet to score in domestic competitions, despite appearing in 3 V.League matches and 1 National Cup game. His prolonged goal drought has made Xuân Son a special topic of interest for the media.

Notably, Xuân Son’s performance in international tournaments is completely different. The striker scored 7 goals in just 3 matches at the ASEAN Club Championship, demonstrating his sharp scoring ability. The stark contrast in scoring efficiency between the two arenas raises many questions about the reasons behind it.

Addressing this issue, Coach Mauro Jeronimo believes the unique playing style in the V.League significantly affects forwards. He stated: “Matches in the Shopee Cup or AFC Cup 2 are very fast-paced, creating many attacking opportunities. In contrast, the actual ball-in-play time in the V.League is very low. For example, in the game against Thanh Hóa, the ball was only in play for about 37 minutes. Today’s match was similar, with nearly 40 fouls committed.”

According to the Portuguese coach, the V.League’s style—characterized by long balls, heavy physical contact, and frequent interruptions—makes it difficult for forwards to maintain their rhythm. He emphasized: “The context of different competitions greatly influences scoring ability. Moreover, Xuân Son has just returned from a long break, so adapting to the physically demanding and tight-space style of the V.League requires more time. But I believe he is working hard to regain his top form.”

Despite the loss, Coach Mauro Jeronimo still gave a positive assessment of his players’ performance. He shared: “Overall, I think Nam Định did not deserve to lose this match. The first half was quite balanced; the opponent was slightly better in some aspects. But in the second half, we played much better. Nam Định controlled the ball, dominated the game, and took more shots.” However, the continued inefficiency in finishing cost Nam Định dearly.