As scheduled, AFC honors Quang Hải ahead of the 2026 U23 Asian Cup

Before the start of the 2026 U23 Asian Cup final round, AFC once again highlights midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải – the top star of the 2018 U23 Vietnam runner-up team.

In January 2026, the 7th edition of the U23 Asian Cup will officially take place in Saudi Arabia. Ahead of this tournament, the Asian Football Confederation recently published an article about the stars of the competition throughout the years. Among them, AFC could not overlook the "hero" Nguyễn Quang Hải from the 2018 U23 Asian Cup, the year when U23 Vietnam made history as runners-up.

"It is uncommon for a goal to be given a special name, but the stunning free-kick by young player Nguyễn Quang Hải against Uzbekistan in the 2018 final earned that honor, famously known as "The Rainbow in the Snow", AFC referenced Quang Hải’s legendary goal in the U23 Asian Cup final against U23 Uzbekistan on January 27, 2018.

"Although the Southeast Asian team missed out on the championship, the tournament helped Quang Hải’s talent gain worldwide recognition," AFC continued.

During that tournament, midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải scored 5 goals for U23 Vietnam, including a brace against U23 UAE in the semifinals. Later that year, Quang Hải, along with the Vietnam national team under coach Park Hang Seo, won the AFF Cup after a 10-year wait and was named the tournament’s MVP. Following that year, Quang Hải continued to play a key role as the Golden Star Warriors reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the UAE. Even now, after 7 years, Quang Hải remains one of the main pillars of the Vietnamese national team.

In this year’s tournament, U23 Vietnam, led by coach Kim Sang Sik, advanced to the round of 16. According to the draw results, the team is in Group A alongside hosts U23 Saudi Arabia, U23 Jordan, and U23 Kyrgyzstan.