Xuan Son has the chance to become the best scorer in AFF Cup history, here's why...

With 7 goals now, Nguyen Xuan Son is almost certain to win the title of top scorer of the AFF Cup 2024. However, the striker of the Vietnamese team needs at least 3 more goals to become the best scorer of an AFF Cup throughout history.

Xuan Son has a chance to win...

With 7 goals, Nguyen Xuan Son is far ahead of all his closest rivals in the race to the title of top scorer of the AFF Cup 2024. Those tied for second place in this list have only scored 4 goals, including Patrik Gustavsson, Suphanat Mueanta (Thailand), Shawal Anur (Singapore) and Nguyen Tien Linh.

Statistics on players with many goals at AFF Cup 2024

Graphics: VFF

Xuan Son only played 4 matches but scored 7 goals

Photo: Minh Tu

Only a shocking surprise can help the above players catch up with Nguyen Xuan Son, when the tournament has only 1 match left (the second leg final) to end. It is very likely that Nguyen Xuan Son will become the second player in the history of Vietnamese football to win the title of top scorer of the AFF Cup, after Nguyen Tien Linh in the 2022 tournament.

With 7 goals up to the first leg of the final, Xuan Son also ranked quite high in the group of strikers who scored the most goals in an AFF Cup, throughout the history of this tournament. Even the striker who has been crowned top scorer 5 times, Teerasil Dangda (Thailand), has never scored more than 6 goals in a Southeast Asian championship.

Xuan Son's number of goals is now equal to the scoring record of the once-famous Thai football striker Natipong Sritong-in in the 1996 AFF Cup and Ilham Jaya Kesuma (Singapore) in the 2004 AFF Cup.

This player can still break many more records.

Photo: Minh Tu

How does it compare to the past?

But Xuan Son's scoring record is still lower than Noh Alam Shah (Singapore, scored 10 goals at AFF Cup 2007), Bambang Pamungkas (Indonesia, 8 goals at AFF Cup 2002) and Adisak Kraisorn (Thailand, 8 goals in 2018). That is, Xuan Son is currently ranked 4th.

If Nguyen Xuan Son scores another goal in the return leg of the final against Thailand on the evening of January 5, he will rise to second place, equal with Bambang Pamungkas and Adisak Kraisorn. If Xuan Son scores two goals, he will have a total of nine goals in the 2024 AFF Cup, he will take sole possession of second place in the table.

If Xuan Son scores a hat-trick against Thailand at Rajamangala Stadium, he will have the same scoring record as Noh Alam Shah at the 2004 AFF Cup, becoming the player with the most goals in one tournament, throughout the history of the AFF Cup.

Suppose Nguyen Xuan Son plays all three group stage matches against Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines (on December 9, 15 and 18, 2024), it is unclear how many more goals this striker will score? In fact, Xuan Son will only start playing for the Vietnam national team from December 21, 2024, according to FIFA regulations. That is the day the Vietnam national team will face Myanmar in the AFF Cup group stage.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xuan-son-co-co-hoi-thanh-vua-pha-luoi-hay-nhat-lich-su-aff-cup-ly-do-day-185250104130341056.htm