ASEAN Cup 2026: The Leadership Journey of Hero Quang Hai

In 2018, at just 21 years old, Quang Hai became one of the most prominent figures in Southeast Asian football. The midfielder, together with the Vietnamese national team, won the ASEAN Championship and was awarded the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Quang Hai's journey in that tournament began with a goal in the 3-0 victory over Laos. In the group stage, he continued to score and provide an assist in the 3-0 win against Cambodia, helping the Vietnamese team advance to the semifinals with an unbeaten record.

In the semifinals, Quang Hai scored in the victory over the Philippines, sending Vietnam to the final against Malaysia. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg at Bukit Jalil, he made his mark in the second leg at My Dinh by delivering a decisive pass for Nguyen Anh Duc to score the only goal. The aggregate 3-2 win gave Vietnam their second regional championship.

His impressive run helped Quang Hai become the second Vietnamese player to win the ASEAN Championship MVP award, after Nguyen Hong Son in 1998. He was also one of the youngest players ever to receive this honor.

After the 2018 championship, Quang Hai continued to assert his role in the Vietnamese national team. He was part of the journey that took the team to the quarterfinals of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, one of the memorable milestones of Vietnamese football on the continental stage.

At the ASEAN Championship 2024, Quang Hai once again helped Vietnam conquer the regional title for the third time in history. Two years later, he entered the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 with a new role, having been given the captain's armband and becoming one of the most experienced players in coach Kim Sang Sik's squad.

At 29, Quang Hai is no longer the young talent who shone in the 2018 tournament but has become one of the pillars of professionalism and spirit for the Vietnamese national team. His role now also involves guiding younger players in the journey to defend the championship.

The Vietnamese team has won the ASEAN Championship three times, in 2008, 2018, and 2024. However, they have never successfully defended the title in the next edition. Therefore, the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 presents a special goal for Quang Hai and his teammates: not only to aim for a fourth title but also to have the opportunity to create a new milestone by becoming the first Vietnamese team to successfully defend the regional championship.

From a young talent who shone at the ASEAN Championship 2018 to the captain of the Vietnamese national team at the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026, Quang Hai has undergone a memorable journey with regional football. In a new chapter of his career, the 29-year-old midfielder continues to aim for new milestones with the team in the quest to conquer the heights of Southeast Asia.