ASEAN Cup 2026: Dinh Bac Goes Viral After Explosive Performance

According to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Bangkok, Dinh Bac's outstanding performance caught the attention of Thai media and football fans. In the match held on the evening of July 24 at a stadium in Chonburi Province (Thailand), the 2004-born striker scored three goals, playing a key role in helping the Vietnamese national team start their title defense campaign on a positive note.

The popular Thai football social media page Krian Buriram praised Dinh Bac, calling him "a truly talented player" with comprehensive skills in movement, dribbling, and finishing. According to the page, if he plays abroad and gains experience in a higher-intensity environment, the young Vietnamese striker could develop strongly and reach a new level.

Krian Buriram also emphasized that Dinh Bac is the first player to score a hat-trick at the ASEAN Cup 2026, while many other Thai sports pages and football fan pages simultaneously rated him as the most outstanding player in Vietnam's victory.

Not only making waves in regional media, Dinh Bac's performance was also recognized by the digital sports analytics platform Sofascore with a perfect score of 10, a very rare rating for a Vietnamese player. The 22-year-old striker scored three goals and added one assist, directly contributing to four of Vietnam's seven goals, and was voted "Man of the Match."

This is also the first time Dinh Bac has participated in the ASEAN Cup, but he immediately made history by becoming the third Vietnamese player to score a hat-trick in the tournament, following seniors Le Cong Vinh and Phan Thanh Binh.

According to Sofascore's ratings, naturalized midfielder Do Hoang Hen ranked just behind Dinh Bac with 8.8 points after scoring a brace in his first official match for the Vietnamese national team. Nguyen Xuan Son and captain Nguyen Quang Hai both received 7.4 points.

Speaking after the match, Dinh Bac said the victory was the result of thorough preparation lasting over a month under the guidance of coach Kim Sang Sik. The Vietnamese national team striker stated: "The whole team has prepared very carefully for the tournament for about a month. Today's victory is the fruit of that process. We will continue to strive for a successful ASEAN Cup."

According to the plan, the Vietnamese national team will return home on July 25 to prepare for their home match against Singapore at My Dinh Stadium on July 31.