The Vietnam national team promises many changes.

From the March 2026 FIFA Days camp onward, Vietnam's forward line has displayed clear erraticness and instability. Even with talented players, the attackers' form differs between club and national team, requiring Coach Kim to thoroughly consider his options for the coming regional competition.

A rare bright spot is Do Hoang Hen (Hanoi FC). The naturalized midfielder is having an explosive season, contributing greatly to Hanoi FC's push for the V-League top three with around 10 goals and a series of impressive assists.

Hoang Hen maintains consistency, sharpness, and high explosiveness. However, when called up to the national team, he has yet to find the net. Nevertheless, in the squad announced by Coach Kim, the Hanoi FC player is listed as a midfielder.

Hoang Hen's close friend Xuan Son is a major worry for the Korean coach. With the national team, he often shines during camps. But in the 2025/26 V-League, Xuan Son has seriously declined, scoring only 3 goals in 12 matches—his lowest tally since arriving in Vietnam in 2020.

In the last 6 matches, the Nam Dinh striker has managed just 2 goals, contributing to the club's elimination in the ASEAN Club Championship semifinals and a drop in the V-League standings. The poor form of the top scorer will certainly make Coach Kim consider his options.

The other two choices, Pham Gia Hung and Pham Tuan Hai, are also unconvincing. Gia Hung has added only 1 goal in 8 matches for Ninh Binh since April. Tuan Hai, despite appearing in 20 matches for Hanoi FC, averages only about 40 minutes per game, scoring 4 goals since the start of the season—the same as Gia Hung. Tuan Hai's difficulty is that he seems not to be favored by coach Harry Kewell, making it hard to maintain good ball feel. If he doesn't improve, Tuan Hai risks being forgotten like Tien Linh.

However, Coach Kim Sang Sik has plenty of ways to make changes despite the difficulties. For example, Nguyen Dinh Bac has 10 goals in 6 matches, helping CAHN win the league early, and he has been a "favorite" of Coach Kim through many successful campaigns.

Even among experts now, the name Dinh Bac could be "defaulted" to a starting spot in Vietnam's current attack. At 22, Dinh Bac deserves the chance thanks to his energy, hunger, and proven skill through a series of impressive tournaments.

The naturalized newcomer Tai Loc, who has helped Ninh Binh overcome difficulties in the V-League this season, is also hard for Coach Kim to ignore. With 9 goals in 21 matches for Ninh Binh, Tai Loc is just one goal behind Hoang Hen and Dinh Bac. At 32, Tai Loc is mature and experienced enough to contribute to the national team if called up.

Young striker Ngoc My is also on a hot streak, helping Thanh Hoa surprisingly secure early survival. The U23 Vietnam striker has grown tremendously thanks to consistent playing time under pressure and is ready to answer Coach Kim's call. Similarly, overseas Vietnamese player Khoa Ngo is also a worthy option to consider.

With the four strikers called up in March, the Korean coach truly has too many alternative choices for the upcoming major campaign. That is also a warning for the older names, as the elimination process on the national team is now more than sufficient.