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Nam Dinh convincingly won the V.League. Photo: Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC . |
When the referee blew the final whistle at Thien Truong Stadium on June 22, the crowd burst into tears in a fateful moment. Nam Dinh - a team once considered a dark horse - became the king of V.League 2024/25 in a most convincing way.
57 points after 22 rounds, 8 points more than the second-placed team Hanoi , only 3 losses and only 18 goals conceded - all of these numbers show that Nam Dinh is not only solid, but also full of courage and organization. Having 17 players score shows the formidable depth of the squad - a rare thing in Vietnamese football, where many clubs still depend on a few individuals.
Not only did Nam Dinh successfully defend their championship, they also improved themselves compared to last season. Experts once said that their 2023/24 championship was a phenomenon, an explosive moment. But this season, they did it quietly and steadily, like a true champion.
However, Nam Dinh's rise is just a bright spot in the 2024/25 V.League picture full of holes.
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The success of Nam Dinh Club is the bright spot of V.League season 2024/25. |
First of all, there is the concern about the audience. A total of 945,000 people came to the stadium this season - that is, only about 5,192 people/match. A sad number compared to last season (1,072,000 people, an average of 5,890 people/match). Even in the top match like Nam Dinh vs Ha Tinh - where Thien Truong Stadium was ablaze with 25,000 spectators - it was still just an exception, not enough to cover the "cooling down" trend in the stands.
On the pitch, football is still beautiful with 449 goals after 182 matches - an average of 2.47 goals/match. Although it has not reached explosive levels, fans have the right to be satisfied with the improved quality of goals: many great goals, many worth-watching combinations.
But that optimism is tempered by another reality: discipline remains a difficult problem. 691 yellow cards, 46 red cards - an average of nearly 4 cards/match. HAGL is the team that "receives the most gifts" with 65 yellow cards and 4 red cards. It can be said that when the referee has to issue more cards than blow the whistle, professionalism is still a luxury.
Off the pitch, this season’s V.League is like a coaching market. In just the last 5 rounds, Binh Dinh changed both the coach and the technical director - an urgent but directionless move.
Da Nang turned the coaching chair into a dizzying cycle: from Truong Viet Hoang to Dao Quang Hung, then Cristiano Roland and finally Le Duc Tuan. Binh Duong started with Hoang Anh Tuan, moved to Nguyen Cong Manh and ended with former national player Nguyen Anh Duc. Hanoi was not left out: Coach Makoto Teguramori replaced Le Duc Tuan, and The Cong Viettel recruited Popov after he left Thanh Hoa.
The turmoil reflects two things: the confidence of club leaders is limited, and the building of a long-term philosophy in Vietnamese football is still an unknown.
In terms of expertise, V.League this season also witnessed two extremes. On one side is the collapse of Binh Dinh - the team that ranked 3rd last season but is now relegated. A bitter journey backwards, signaling the consequences of losing direction and internal turmoil.
On the other hand, Ha Tinh emerged as a spectacular phenomenon. From a position that had to play in the play-off, Nguyen Thanh Cong and his team remained undefeated throughout the first leg and ended the season with… 15 draws - a new record.
V.League 2024/25 ended with many emotions: glory, regret, and hope. But after all, Vietnamese football needs more champions like Nam Dinh - a team that does not chase after stars, does not "change coaches like changing clothes", but is steadfast in its own philosophy and journey.
That could be the example that needs to be replicated - so that V.League does not only live by moments, but lives by depth.
Source: https://znews.vn/nam-dinh-vung-ngoi-vleague-nhieu-bien-dong-post1563256.html
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