The defensive line of the Vietnam national team poses a challenge for coach Kim Sang Sik

The injuries to Đỗ Duy Mạnh and Lê Ngọc Bảo have left Vietnam's defense more vulnerable as the 2026 ASEAN Cup approaches. While coach Kim Sang Sik still has choices, his favored three-center-back system requires more contingency plans to aim for title defense.

The 2026 ASEAN Cup has not even started yet, but the personnel puzzle in Vietnam's defense is already causing concern among fans.

Duy Mạnh (center) is absent, forcing coach Kim Sang Sik to call up a replacement. Photo: Hoang Linh

The fact that Đỗ Duy Mạnh officially left the national team to continue treating his knee injury is not only a professional loss but also a significant blow in terms of experience and leadership role.

Gia Bảo is a center-back who once caught coach Kim Sang Sik's attention and has shown his abilities this season at his club. Photo: Dinh Vien

Earlier, Lê Ngọc Bảo also had to withdraw, causing coach Kim Sang Sik to lose another key option at the left-sided center-back position.

In the 3-4-3 formation that the South Korean strategist is building, center-backs are not just defenders. They also play a role in initiating attacks, pushing forward to support ball distribution, and must be mobile enough to cover spaces behind the flanks.

Therefore, losing two center-backs in a row has significantly affected the depth of Vietnam's squad. Of course, it cannot be denied that coach Kim Sang Sik still has quality players at his disposal.

Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh is growing increasingly mature and is one of the best domestic center-backs in the current V-League. Nguyễn Thành Chung has also proven his class over the years, but the issue with the Hanoi FC center-back is that he cannot maintain the same form as in previous seasons. Xuân Mạnh is a versatile player who can perform well both as a center-back and a full-back.

A long tournament with a dense match schedule always carries risks of injuries, suspensions, or dips in form. If just one more injury occurs, coach Kim Sang Sik could find himself in a serious personnel shortage. Therefore, he had to add center-back Gia Bảo from Công An TP.HCM, a name that the South Korean coach had called up a few months ago.

Currently, coach Kim Sang Sik only has Việt Anh, Thành Chung, and Gia Bảo as genuine center-backs. Văn Hậu and Xuân Mạnh can handle this role, but they are more suited to playing wide rather than being true center-backs. Nguyễn Nhật Minh and Đinh Quang Kiệt are both young and lack international experience.

Meanwhile, the opponents at this year's ASEAN Cup promise to bring many challenges.An unstable defense could easily cost the Vietnam national team dearly.

The positive side is that coach Kim Sang Sik still has time to make decisions. The friendly match against Myanmar at Thái Nguyên Stadium on July 18 will serve as a final "dress rehearsal" before the team heads to Thailand. This is not only an opportunity to test the gameplay but also a chance for the coaching staff to reassess.

Nevertheless, looking more broadly, this could also be an opportunity for Vietnam to prepare for the future. Young players, if given the chance at the 2026 ASEAN Cup, will gain valuable experience for bigger campaigns such as the Asian Cup or World Cup qualifiers.