U.23 Vietnam is grateful
In 2020, a young goalkeeper measuring 1.91 m tall appeared in the HAGL U.19 squad at the national U.19 finals. Attracting attention thanks to his outstanding physique, Tran Trung Kien was considered a "rare commodity" in the HAGL training center, which previously focused on technical qualities rather than physique. After that time, Tran Trung Kien still could not make it into the squad for the regional U.19 tournament or the continental U.20 tournament.
Tran Trung Kien is currently the number 1 goalkeeper of HAGL.
PHOTO: MINH TRAN
Football not only favors those who have talent and show it early, but the "reward" also comes to those who keep trying. Trung Kien has trained himself every day, improving every little detail: reflexes, ability to enter and exit, situational judgment and communication with the defense. The efforts of the goalkeeper born in 2003 have been rewarded.
In the 2022 season, Trung Kien was promoted to the HAGL first team to compete in the V-League. This was a big turning point in his career. In the 2024 - 2025 season, when the HAGL coaching staff created opportunities for many young faces, the 22-year-old goalkeeper really shone. He started to play confidently, made memorable saves, entered and exited appropriately, and even launched good attacks with his feet. Although not too noisy, Trung Kien has gradually asserted himself as a worthy first choice in the HAGL goal. The 22-year-old goalkeeper played in 24/26 matches for the mountain town team in the V-League this season.
Trung Kien is progressing day by day
A good performance in the V-League has opened a new door for Trung Kien: wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey. Under coach Kim Sang-sik, the goalkeeper born in 2003 was called up to participate in the AFF Cup 2024. Although he did not play a single minute, participating in the journey to win the most prestigious tournament in the region is a very good opportunity for the 22-year-old man. Trung Kien once shared: "I learned a lot from my seniors, especially about the competitive mentality and composure in each situation."
Trung Kien has become an important part in helping HAGL stay in the V-League. At present, when U.23 Vietnam is preparing for the 2026 U.23 Asian qualifiers and SEA Games 33, Trung Kien is considered the leading candidate for the starting position. Compared to his colleagues playing the same position such as Cao Van Binh (SLNA), Nguyen Tan (Ba Ria-Vung Tau Club) and Pham Dinh Hai ( Hanoi ), Trung Kien clearly has the advantage in experience, competitive spirit... having been trained with seniors in the Vietnam national team, and also regularly playing in the V-League.
Tran Trung Kien's physique is also a very important factor. In the continental arena, many teams have good physiques and prefer to use high balls. Meanwhile, the SEA Games 33 arena at the end of this year is similar, predicted to be more fierce when Vietnam's rivals in the region such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia have been exploiting the source of tall naturalized players. Therefore, with a height of 1.91 m, the HAGL goalkeeper promises to be chosen to dominate the space in front of the goal.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chot-chan-lung-lung-cua-u23-viet-nam-sao-tre-hagl-day-185250703223015879.htm
Comment (0)