The goalkeeper of the Vietnam national team, who once played as a striker, brings the saddest possible news.

Nam Dinh Club's goalkeeper Liem Dieu has sustained a cruciate ligament rupture and will need an extended time off from playing.

Nam Dinh Club received unwelcome news regarding their squad situation as goalkeeper Tran Liem Dieu suffered a serious injury during a training session. According to medical staff confirmation, the 2001-born shot-stopper has torn his anterior cruciate ligament and will undergo surgery in the near future. This is a severe injury that will likely keep him out of action for several months.

Speaking of Liem Dieu, Vietnamese football fans surely still recall a special moment at the 2022 Southeast Asian U23 Championship. Despite being a goalkeeper, he was once sent onto the pitch to play as a striker during the semi-final match between Vietnam U23 and Timor-Leste U23, creating one of the most memorable images of the tournament.

At that time, Vietnam U23 was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a severely depleted squad. When the match went into extra time, coach Dinh The Nam had almost no other substitution options left. In that extraordinary situation, Liem Dieu was tasked with playing up front to take advantage of his height and physique.

Although he could not score or make a difference on the scoreboard, Liem Dieu's effort was highly appreciated by experts and fans. The image of a goalkeeper willingly leaving his goal to support the team in a completely unfamiliar position showcased the dedication and determination to overcome difficulties of that year's Vietnam U23 squad.

Returning to the present, Liem Dieu's absence adds further difficulty for Nam Dinh in the goalkeeper position. In the recent match against SLNA,coach Vu Hong Viet had to use Le Vu Phong, the team's third-choice goalkeeper, as the first-choice keeper Tran Nguyen Manh was also dealing with physical issues and not in optimal condition.

Before kickoff, Nam Dinh players performed a meaningful gesture to encourage their unfortunate injured teammate. The entire team held up Liem Dieu's jersey during the pre-match ceremony as a wish for him to overcome this tough period quickly. Fans also hope the 24-year-old goalkeeper will recover soon to continue his career and return to the pitch stronger in the future.