Coach Kim Sang Sik first calls two 'treasures' of Coach Park to the Vietnam national team.

Coach Kim Sang Sik first summons two pillars who shone under Coach Park Hang-seo, after a long absence due to injury and declining form.

After a long absence due to injury and form, defenders Tran Dinh Trong and Doan Van Hau have returned to the Vietnam national team's call-up list. Notably, this is also the first time both have been called to the national team under Coach Kim Sang Sik, opening an opportunity to reaffirm the status of former pillars of Vietnamese football.

In the upcoming training camp, Dinh Trong and Van Hau are among the group of eight players from Hanoi Police Club summoned. The remaining six names include goalkeeper Nguyen Filip, defender Cao pendant Quang Vinh, Bui Hoang Viet Anh along with midfielders Le Van Do, Le Pham Thanh Long and Nguyen Quang Hai. The inclusion of the duo who were once defensive pillars provides Coach Kim Sang Sik with additional quality options for the national team.

For Van Hau, the last time he wore the Vietnam national team jersey was nearly three years ago. In June 2023, the defender born in 1999 played 63 minutes in a friendly match winning 1-0 against Syria under Coach Philippe Troussier. Since then, persistent injuries forced him to stay away from the national team for 995 days before getting the chance to return in this training camp.

Meanwhile, Tran Dinh Trong has been absent even longer. The last time the center-back born in 1997 played for the Vietnam national team was a friendly match winning 4-0 against Singapore on September 21, 2022. To date, his period away from the national team has lasted 1,267 days. A series of serious injuries, including two knee ligament tears, significantly interrupted this defender's career.

During the peak period under Coach Park Hang-seo's reign, Dinh Trong and Van Hau were considered two "treasures" of the Vietnam national team's defense. Both grew from the Hanoi training academy and early affirmed their talent at youth level, contributing to helping U19 Vietnam reach the semifinals of the 2016 U19 Asian Championship to earn a ticket to the 2017 U20 World Cup.

After that, this duo continued to play important roles in the golden era of Vietnamese football. They were key figures in the journey to winning runner-up at the 2018 U23 Asian Championship, reaching the top 4 at ASIAD 2018, and especially the AFF Cup 2018 championship. Their solid defensive ability, hard-working style, and competitive composure helped both become indispensable pillars in Coach Park Hang-seo's system.

However, the careers of both Dinh Trong and Van Hau were severely affected by injuries. Dinh Trong had to undergo multiple surgeries related to his knee and foot. Meanwhile, Van Hau faced serious issues with his Achilles heel since 2023, requiring treatment in Singapore and undergoing several surgeries before returning to play at the end of 2025.

The return of the two experienced defenders is expected to significantly strengthen the defensive power of the Vietnam national team. In the context of the national team preparing for the important match against Malaysia in the final round of Group F for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Coach Kim Sang Sik will have additional quality choices, while reactivating factors that once contributed to the brilliant successful era of Vietnamese football.