Vietnam National Team and the Question of Defensive Midfielders

There is no genuine defensive midfielder in the expected national team roster for the March FIFA Days. Is the defensive midfield position not truly valued by Coach Kim Sang Sik, or have we been somewhat complacent facing Bangladesh and Malaysia?!

Some may question: then Duc Chien and Van Do, even Thanh Long are still there, what roles will they play on the field?! To clarify, Duc Chien originally started as a center-back, while Le Pham Thanh Long and Le Van Do are naturally wingers or supporting attackers. Both of these players might not start if Hoang Duc, Quang Hai, and Van Vy are present in the midfield and wing areas, with Xuan Son playing at the highest point.

Modern football demands more versatility in each position, adapting according to specific tactical formations, specific opponents, and specific competitions. Van Hau and Dinh Trong have returned, perhaps only missing Ho Tan Tai to complete the set. Classical football, formations paired with old-style tactical philosophies. For example, how to play with a 5-3-2, how to operate with a 4-4-2.

With the classic 5-3-2 formation, two stopper center-backs undertake the duties of defensive midfielders and also center-backs. This formation is typically applied by underdog teams or those from less developed football nations. Nowadays, few teams still employ this formation-tactic style.

"In the past, I was assigned to mark Kiatisuk Senamuang, one-on-one, within the familiar 5-3-2 setup. Honestly, in many matches, I ended up vomiting. Who is 'Zico Thai'?! A legend, the best striker in Southeast Asia during his era. While I was just a young player. However, those experiences helped develop my career later," former national team and HAGL center-back Vu Duy Hoang shared with Sports & Culture.

Among the early 8x generation of Vietnamese players, Duy Hoang was one of the most outstanding. His professional club career, from Nam Dinh, to HAGL, Hoa Phat HN, and Khanh Hoa... was not particularly prominent. Yet at the national team level, from SEA Games 22 in 2003 onwards, Vu Duy Hoang became an excellent piece to replace Vu Nhu Thanh playing alongside Huy Hoang.

Returning to the issue raised at the beginning of the article. The role of a box-to-box defensive midfielder is now almost eliminated. It seems the last player to perform this role at the national team level was Ngo Hoang Thinh during the 2015-2017 period. After that, almost no one, including the emerging young player Nguyen Thai Son.

"In this era, coaches almost never ask a player to mark another player individually, because they play as a group, by zone, not assigned rigidly as before. Therefore, the model of defensive midfielder is increasingly absent. Simply because this role is no longer timely," former national team center-back Vu Duy Hoang stated.

The expected national team roster for the March 2026 FIFA Days, with midfielders where Quang Hai and Hoang Duc will be the ones maintaining the heartbeat of the team, inherently none are ball recovery specialists. However, they are masters in controlling match tempo, organizing play from distance. They are the finest players of their generation, for about a decade now.

At the regional level, we do not need cleanup specialists. As shared by former national team player Vu Duy Hoang, old-style football is long gone. Modern football now is very different. "Teams can play with three center-backs spread horizontally, or even fewer, with two center-backs playing like organizing midfielders. Overall, modern football is ever-changing and players must always be ready to meet various coach demands. They are very versatile," still according to Vu Duy Hoang.

Against Bangladesh and Malaysia, we almost certainly have victory secured. The question is only how to win!