Midfielder Xuan Bac talks about the first time he returned to his hometown Phu Tho to play for U23 Vietnam

As a son of Phu Tho, midfielder Nguyen Xuan Bac is about to have a memorable campaign in his homeland when he joins the U23 Vietnam team in the 2026 U23 Asia qualifiers.

Nguyen Xuan Bac is an emerging midfielder in U23 Vietnam under coach Kim Sang Sik - Photo: ANH KHOA

"This is the first time I have returned to my hometown to compete. I have been away since I was young, so people in my hometown have mostly only cheered me on television. This time playing in Phu Tho , my family and relatives can come directly to the stadium to cheer me on, which will be a great source of inspiration for me. I am very proud of my hometown Phu Tho," U23 Vietnam player Nguyen Xuan Bac shared on the official website of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) on August 31.

Nguyen Xuan Bac was born in 2003 in Chan Mong commune, Phu Tho province. He is the only Phu Tho player in the current U23 Vietnam squad. Before Nguyen Xuan Bac, Phu Tho had striker Ha Duc Chinh wearing the Vietnam national team jersey to play a friendly match at Viet Tri Stadium in 2020.

In the near future, Xuan Bac's presence in the U23 Vietnam shirt in Viet Tri in an official campaign such as the 2026 U23 Asia qualifiers not only has personal significance, but is also the pride of Phu Tho fans.

"I hope fans will come to the stadium to cheer not only for me but also for the team so that we can achieve the best results," Xuan Bac said.

Nguyen Xuan Bac has emerged in the PVF-CAND club for the past 3 seasons in the First Division. He plays as an attacking midfielder, has a mobile playing style, and can play as a striker when needed. The 2025 Southeast Asian U23 is the first tournament this player has played for the Vietnam U23 under coach Kim Sang Sik.

Here, Xuan Bac played 4 matches, scored 1 goal, and made a significant contribution to helping U23 Vietnam win the championship.

"The recent journey at the U23 Southeast Asian Championship was quite new to me, because it was the first time I played a lot in the national team. That was a great source of motivation for me to continue to strive to develop further," said Xuan Bac.

With the support of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, plus the support of home fans, Xuan Bac and his teammates are expected to bring explosive performances in the upcoming 2026 Asian U23 qualifiers at Viet Tri Stadium.

From September 3 to September 9, the Vietnam U23 team will participate in the qualifying round of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship in Viet Tri, Phu Tho.

Vietnam U23 team is the host of Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers. According to the schedule, Vietnam U23 team will meet Bangladesh (September 3), Singapore (September 6) and Yemen (September 9). In all 3 matches, Vietnam U23 team will play at 7 p.m.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tien-ve-xuan-bac-noi-ve-lan-dau-duoc-ve-que-phu-tho-dau-cho-u23-viet-nam-20250831131843546.htm