Mr. Đức shares a special message after 24 years in Vietnamese football

Although Hoàng Anh Gia Lai no longer dominates headlines as it once did at its peak, Mr. Đức remains a highly influential figure in Vietnamese football.

At the SEA Games held in Thailand, the mark of HAGL and the training system associated with Mr. Đức was clearly evident in the U22 Vietnam squad. Goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên (born 2003, HAGL Club) stood out as one of the most prominent players, playing a crucial role in leading his team to the championship. His impressive performance at SEA Games 33, along with winning the U23 Southeast Asia Championship in May, made Trung Kiên the first HAGL player to be nominated in the top 5 for the Vietnamese Golden Ball since 2021.

Not only Trung Kiên, but many other players from the U22 Vietnam SEA Games 33 winning team also developed through academies linked to HAGL. Central defender Nguyễn Nhật Minh (2003, Hải Phòng), midfielder Nguyễn Thái Quốc Cường (2004, CA Ho Chi Minh City Club), and forward Nguyễn Quốc Việt (2003, Ninh Bình Club) all came from the HAGL Arsenal JMG Academy. Meanwhile, central defender Phạm Lý Đức (2003, CAHN Club) grew up at Nutifood Academy and played for HAGL in the 2024–2025 season. These names prove that Mr. Đức’s youth development pipeline has never been interrupted.

Despite his “homegrown” players continuously making their mark on youth national teams, Mr. Đức chooses to stay silent rather than make loud statements as before. He candidly shared with VnExpress: “I no longer want to boast about my contributions. I am still involved in football; the academy is still here. The first team continues to compete in the V-League, and many players are trained by experts and coaches at Hàm Rồng. I have been in football for 24 years, never giving up, all just wanting to contribute a little to the development of Vietnamese football..”

Mr. Đức emphasized: “I have always been willing to sacrifice results in the V-League to give young players the chance to gain experience. If I hadn't done that, would players like Công Phượng, Xuân Trường, and Văn Toàn have matured so quickly? Or would players like Lý Đức and Trung Kiên be as composed as they are now?”

At the club level, HAGL still faces many challenges as they fight to avoid relegation in the V-League. However, at the end of 2025, the Mountain Town team closed the season with a victory at the Thái Nguyên Four-Team Tournament, viewing it as a stepping stone to prepare for a stronger comeback in the 2026 V-League. For Mr. Đức, football is no longer about immediate glory but a long journey where today’s quiet contributions can lead to great achievements for the future of Vietnamese football.