When Nguyễn Quang Hải led Vietnam to the 2018 title of the ASEAN Championship, now known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026, and was celebrated as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, the playmaker joined an exclusive group of regional football greats.
Not only did he become the second Vietnamese player to win the coveted individual award after goalkeeper Nguyễn Hồng Sơn in 1998, he emulated Thailand’s Chanathip Songkrasin as the only player to claim the honour at the age of 21.
While Chanathip retains his status as the youngest player to win the MVP award, Quang Hải was barely six months older when he led Vietnam to regional success, with both players going on to become lynchpins for further success for their respective nations.
Quang Hải made his senior debut during Vietnam’s qualifiers for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, featuring in a goalless draw against Jordan before scoring his first international goal in a 2-1 win over Cambodia.
He had also impressed at youth level, helping his country to the semi-finals of the AFC U-19 Asian Cup in 2016 before stepping up to play a leading role as Vietnam reached their first-ever continental final at any level in early 2018.
As the creative fulcrum of an exciting Vietnamese side at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in China, Quang Hải scored five goals, including his memorable free-kick in the snow during the final. Although Vietnam finished runners-up to Uzbekistan, their achievement captured the imagination of fans across Asia.
He carried that momentum into the 2018 ASEAN Championship later that year and his talent and burgeoning experience saw him carry his nation’s challenge at the ASEAN Football Federation’s (AFF) flagship regional competition which has grown to become the jewel in the crown of ASEAN football.
Quang Hải announced himself in the tournament by scoring in Vietnam’s opening 3-0 win over Laos before adding another goal and an assist in a second 3-0 victory, this time against Cambodia, as Vietnam progressed through the group stage unbeaten.
He played a decisive role, too, in the semi-finals, netting Vietnam’s first goal of the second leg against the Philippines to add to their 2-1 lead from the first leg as Park Hang-seo’s side went on to book their place in the final.
Vietnam took on Malaysia in the title showdown and following a 2-2 draw in the first leg at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, it was Quang Hải who unlocked the Malaysian defence in the return meeting in Hanoi.
With a looping delivery from the left, he set up Nguyễn Anh Đức to volley home Vietnam’s sixth minute winner to secure a decisive 3-2 aggregate victory and deliver Vietnam’s long-awaited second ASEAN Championship title, a decade after their first triumph.
The win ended a frustrating drought for Vietnam’s passionate fans and Quang Hải would continue to excel, leading the country to the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup in 2019 – the nation’s best-ever performance at the competition – before sparkling again at regional level.
He was captain in Kim Sang-sik’s team who won the ASEAN Championship for a third time two years ago. With the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 starting later this month, the Công An Hà Nội FC midfielder is poised to play another big role in Vietnam’s title defence.
Launched in 1996, the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ will be held from July 24 to August 26 as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.
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