After the dust has settled on the 15th edition of the ASEAN Championship, we continue our look back at some of the standout players, this time shining the spotlight on the midfielders.
From those who dazzled in the centre of the park with their skills to the hard-tackling ball winners, the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ showcased some fantastic midfield talents.
ASEAN United FC has selected eight star midfielders from the competition and asks you, the fans of Southeast Asian football, to vote for your favourite at the bottom of the article.
Nguyen Hoang Duc (Vietnam)
The driving force in the Vietnamese midfield grew into the competition as it wore on. Nguyen Hoang Duc’s reading of the game and ability to both break up and dictate to play stood out, while a lovely assist in the semi-final against Singapore and a dominant display in the second leg of the final against Thailand were among his best moments as the 26-year-old made up for the disappointment of losing the 2022 final.
Sandro Reyes (Philippines)
If he wasn’t well known among fans of ASEAN football before the tournament, Sandro Reyes certainly is now. Adept at pulling the strings in the centre of the park and picking out key passes, the 21-year-old possesses silky skills and is also excellent from distance, as seen with his outstanding goal against Thailand in the first leg of the semi-final to add to the group stage goal he bagged against Laos.
Peeradol Chamratsamee (Thailand)
In the absence of a number of experienced stars, it was Peeradol Chamratsamee who took the captain’s armband and he stepped into the role with aplomb. Having netted a late winner in a comeback against Singapore in the group stage, the 32-year-old opened the scoring in the second leg of the semi-final against the Philippines to kickstart another comeback before falling just short of leading his side to glory.
Nguyen Quang Hai (Vietnam)
Once the golden boy of Vietnamese football, Nguyen Quang Hai was not always a starter in the latter stages; however, when he was on the pitch, his contributions were key. The playmaker netted the winner against Indonesia and added another goal against Myanmar in the group stage, while also providing the initial cross for Nguyen Xuan Son’s opener in the first leg of the final and the pass for Nguyen Hai Long’s icing on the cake in the return meeting as he added to his 2018 title.
Sor Rotana (Cambodia)
Cambodia showed once more that they are now able to compete with Southeast Asia’s strongest sides, with Sor Rotana among those who shone during the competition. The right-winger bagged a goal and an assist in their victory over Timor-Leste before picking up his second assist to help the Cambodians take the lead away to Thailand in what was an excellent campaign for the 22-year-old.
Kyoga Nakamura (Singapore)
Singapore returned to the semi-finals for the first time since the 2020 edition and among those who left their mark on the tournament was Kyoga Nakamura. A composed presence on the ball with an eye for a pass, his coolly taken penalty helped see off Timor-Leste in the group stage before he added a fabulous effort from distance – albeit a consolation – in the semi-final defeat to Vietnam.
Ben Davies (Thailand)
Ben Davies enjoyed an impressive maiden ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup campaign, scoring his first international goals in the opener against Timor-Leste. Full of energy in the Thailand midfield, the 24-year-old sustained an injury early on but returned in the knockout rounds with a strong display in the comeback win over the Philippines and an outstanding goal in the second leg of the final to bring Rajamangala Stadium to its feet.
Nguyen Hai Long (Vietnam)
Nguyen Hai Long bookended his campaign with Vietnam’s first and last goals. After his thumping strike put his country a goal up against Laos, his defining moment then came in the dying embers of the final. With Thailand chasing the game and their goalkeeper up for a corner, the Golden Star Warriors broke free and, when the ball came to Hai Long, he was able to roll it into the back of the net from just inside the opposition half to spark joyous celebrations.
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