​CAPTAIN NGUYỄN QUANG HẢI READY TO LEAD VIETNAM'S TITLE DEFENCE AT ASEAN HYUNDAI CUP™ 2026

When Nguyễn Quang Hải captained Vietnam to victory at the 2018 ASEAN Championship—now rebranded as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026—and was named Tournament MVP, he cemented his place among regional footballing greats.

In doing so, he became only the second Vietnamese player to claim the prestigious individual honour, following goalkeeper Nguyễn Hồng Sơn in 1998. He also joined Thailand's Chanathip Songkrasin as the only players to win the award at the age of 21. While Chanathip remains the youngest-ever MVP, Quang Hải was barely six months older when he inspired Vietnam to regional glory—and both have since become cornerstone figures for their national teams.

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. His promise was already evident at youth level, helping Vietnam reach the semi-finals of the 2016 AFC U-19 Asian Cup before playing a pivotal role in the country's historic run to the 2018 AFC U-23 Asian Cup final—their first continental final at any level.

At that tournament in China, Quang Hải was the creative heartbeat of an exciting Vietnamese side, scoring five goals—including a memorable free-kick in snowy conditions during the final. Though Vietnam fell to Uzbekistan, their campaign captured the imagination of fans across Asia.

He carried that momentum into the 2018 ASEAN Championship later that year, emerging as the driving force behind Vietnam's challenge in the AFF's flagship competition—now widely regarded as the crown jewel of ASEAN football.

Quang Hải announced his arrival with a goal in Vietnam's opening 3–0 win over Laos, then added another goal and an assist in a second 3–0 victory against Cambodia, as Park Hang-seo's side cruised through the group stage unbeaten. He was instrumental in the semi-finals as well, scoring the crucial first goal in the second leg against the Philippines to seal a berth in the final.

Vietnam faced Malaysia in the title decider. After a 2–2 draw in the first leg at Kuala Lumpur's Bukit Jalil Stadium, it was Quang Hải who unlocked the Malaysian defence in the return fixture in Hanoi. His lofted delivery from the left found Nguyễn Anh Đức, who volleyed home the sixth-minute winner—securing a 3–2 aggregate victory and Vietnam's long-awaited second ASEAN Championship title, a decade after their first.

That triumph ended a frustrating trophy drought for Vietnam's passionate supporters, and Quang Hải continued to excel. He led the nation to the quarter-finals of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup—Vietnam's best-ever performance in the tournament—and shone again on the regional stage.

Two years ago, he captained Kim Sang-sik's side to a third ASEAN Championship crown. Now, as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 kicks off later this month, the Công An Hà Nội FC midfielder stands ready to play another defining role in Vietnam's title defence.

Launched in 1996, the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ will be held from July 24 to August 26, celebrating its 30th anniversary in style.