Overseas Vietnamese midfielder officially leaves Bulgarian national team to choose Vietnam shirt

TPO - Chung Nguyen Do (Do Nguyen Thanh Chung or Tran Thanh Trung), a midfielder who grew up in Bulgarian football and played for the country's youth teams, has just sent a farewell message. He confirmed that he will play for Vietnam's national teams.

Chung Nguyen Do was once an important midfielder for Bulgaria U21.

On his personal Instagram page, Chung Nguyen Do wrote a tribute to the Bulgarian jersey: “I close a book full of successes, friends and unforgettable moments. Defending the Bulgarian jersey is an honor and a privilege for me! Thank you for the support, thank you for the memories and thank you for everything.”

This message was released almost simultaneously with the news that coach Kim Sang-sik had called Chung Nguyen Do to the U23 Vietnam team to prepare for the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers, which will take place from September 3. Chung Nguyen Do is the most notable face in this gathering. With the level he has shown at Slavia Sofia, as a key midfielder for the U21 Bulgaria team, he is expected to be able to upgrade the midfield of the U23 Vietnam team.

Chung Nguyen Do and his farewell message on his personal page

Chung Nguyen Do was born in 2005 in Bulgaria. He joined CSKA Sofia's training center and then Slavia Sofia. This midfielder has played professionally since 2022. Over the years, he has gradually proven himself with a difficult-to-replace position in the capital team. In the 2024/25 season, he played 31/34 matches for Slavia Sofia, scoring 2 goals. In 2025, this player also played 4 matches for U21 Bulgaria.

In the summer of 2025, Ninh Binh FC made a surprising deal when they brought Chung Nguyen Do, a midfielder who was then valued at 400,000 euros, back to his hometown to play. And this was the turning point that helped Vietnamese football own this talent.

Because he has not played for the Bulgarian national team and has a Vietnamese passport, Chung Nguyen Do is fully eligible to play for teams from U22/23 to the Vietnam national team. If he performs well in the upcoming qualifying campaign, the 20-year-old midfielder can completely become an important position for coach Kim Sang-sik in the 33rd SEA Games campaign at the end of the year.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/tien-ve-viet-kieu-chinh-thuc-chia-tay-doi-tuyen-bulgaria-de-chon-mau-ao-viet-nam-post1772662.tpo