Kyle Hudlin: 'V.League is tougher than I thought'

Kyle Hudlin clearly feels the harshness of V.League. Photo: Nam Dinh Green Steel .

English striker Kyle Hudlin is one of Nam Dinh's new recruits in the 2025/26 season. He arrived at Thien Truong Stadium and immediately attracted attention with his rare height of 2.06 m.

V.League - harsh challenges await Kyle Hudlin

Right in his debut match in the National Super Cup against CAHN in August, Hudlin immediately made his mark. Coming off the bench according to the tactical calculations of coach Vu Hong Viet, the 2.06 m tall striker quickly asserted his worth with his outstanding aerial ability.

Just a few minutes after joining, he scored two goals with powerful headers. Although Nam Dinh eventually lost 2-3 to CAHN, that explosive performance was enough to help Hudlin win the hearts of the Southern audience.

After that match, Hudlin continued to prove his ability during the training camp in Korea and in the friendly match with the Vietnamese team. In both trials, he scored regularly, thereby maintaining his impressive form. However, when he returned to V.League, the real big challenge began.

“V.League is a much tougher tournament than I thought. The competition takes place in every match, and I really didn’t expect it to be this tough,” Hudlin said about V.League after 4 rounds.

Hudlin has not had many opportunities in V.League 2025/26. Photo: Nam Dinh Green Steel.

Due to the regulation limiting the number of foreign players, Hudlin has not had many opportunities to play. That makes him more eager than ever to "open his account" of goals in the highest tournament of Vietnamese football.

“For me personally, the immediate goal is to score my first goal in the V.League. I have high expectations for myself, always play with all my heart and full of determination. No match is perfect, but I will give 100% every time I step onto the field. Hopefully, with that spirit, we will have another successful season,” the striker born in 2000 shared.

Besides, Hudlin highly appreciated Nam Dinh's collective strength. According to him, cohesion and uniform quality are the key factors: "I see that the coordination with teammates is getting better and better. The whole team is also showing a certain cohesion. Not only that, we have many quality players in the midfield and attack. When the injuries return, Nam Dinh will be even stronger."

Aspiration to conquer AFC Champions League Two with Nam Dinh

This season, Nam Dinh will participate in four tournaments at the same time, including two international tournaments: AFC Champions League Two and the Southeast Asian Club Cup. With the ambition to reach new heights, the leaders of the Southern team have spent a lot of money on the transfer market, adding many quality foreign players to be competitive. Hudlin is an important part of that strategy.

The striker born in 2000 once impressed with his scoring ability in Nam Dinh's friendly matches. Photo: Nam Dinh Green Steel.

Nam Dinh had their opening matches in both the AFC Champions League Two and the Southeast Asian Club Cup and won both. In the continental arena, they defeated Ratchanburi of Thailand with a score of 3-1. Most recently, Nam Dinh won 2-1 against the representative of Cambodia - Svay Rieng in the regional arena.

Talking about the goals ahead, Hudlin expressed his excitement at testing his strength in the continental arena: “Competing in AFC Champions League Two, Nam Dinh will face top opponents, but our squad is also very strong. That shows the strength of the collective. I think we have a great chance in AFC Champions League Two. However, the important thing is to focus in each match, not to be subjective. If the whole team continues to give 100%, the opportunity to go far in every tournament is open.”

Dubbed a “mobile pole” because of his height of 2.06 m, Hudlin himself does not want to be limited to a single advantage. The English striker frankly said: “I try to make the most of my physical strength, but not just my height. I hope I can show all my qualities this season. The most important thing is to bring the best version of myself, trying to help the team as much as possible.”

At the age of 25, Kyle Hudlin is entering the prime of his career. If he maintains his current ambition and form, he can become a “secret weapon” to help Nam Dinh reach new heights, while also making a name for himself in one of the most exciting football environments in Southeast Asia.

Source: https://znews.vn/kyle-hudlin-vleague-khac-nghiet-hon-nhung-gi-toi-nghi-post1588539.html