'Midfield boss' of U23 Vietnam says something special before the Asian tournament

“This is the first time I have returned to my hometown to compete. I hope fans will come to the stadium to cheer not only for me but also for U23 Vietnam so that we can achieve the best results.

I have been away since I was young, so people in my hometown mostly cheer on me through television. This time playing in Phu Tho , my family and relatives can come directly to the stadium to cheer, that will be a great source of inspiration for me to compete", Xuan Bac said.

Xuan Bac was born in Phu Tho. He is one of the U23 Vietnam players who received special support from home fans at the 2026 Southeast Asian U23 round, held in Viet Tri.

In U23 Vietnam, Xuan Bac is a midfielder with good organization, smart play, mobility and good at avoiding pressing. Although he does not have the advantage of physical size, he always takes on the role of "midfield boss", helping the team's play become soft but solid.

The young midfielder's convincing performance at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament helped him be voted into the best squad, becoming the only central midfielder of Vietnam U23 to be on this list.

u23 vietnam.jpg — U23 Vietnam is ready for the Asian tournament. Photo: VFF

“The recent journey in U23 Southeast Asia was quite new to me, and it was also the first time I played a lot in the national team. That was a great source of motivation for me to continue to strive to develop further,” Xuan Bac affirmed.

Vietnam U23 is currently actively training for the 2026 AFC U23 qualifiers. In Group C, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team will meet Bangladesh U23 (September 3), Singapore U23 (September 6) and Yemen U23 (September 9).

VFF officially released tickets for Group C matches - 2025 AFC U23 qualifiers directly from the afternoon of September 2 at the main gate of Phu Tho Sports Stadium. After the first release day, the direct ticket issuance at the counter will last from September 3-9. The 2025 AFC U23 qualifiers have 3 denominations: 100, 200 and 300 thousand VND/ticket.