VietNamNet Bridge – After Vietnam left ASEAN Football Cup 2010 (AFF), half-back Nguyen Minh Phuong, captain of the national squad said farewell to the team at the age of 30.

Minh Phuong (white) in the jersey of the national squad.

Phuong played for the team for nearly a decade. His decision was supported by coach Henrique Calisto and officials of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).

“I’m very sad to leave the team in the context not having been able to defend the AFF Cup championship. But I made this decision in early 2010 when I was convened for the qualifier round of the Asian Championship. At that time, coach Calisto encouraged me to play with the team for one more year,” Minh Phuong said.

“I’m beginning to feel my age and I want to spend more time with my club and my family. I hope that better players will replace me in the national team,” he said.

Since Minh Phuong joined the national squad in 2002, he was always the key half-back. He participated in the five consecutive Southeast Asian Championships and won the champion in 2008.

With 73 games with the national squad, Minh Phuong breaks senior player Huynh Duc’s record of playing 66 games for the national team. He scored 12 goals for the team. However, he has never won any Golden Ball Award.

Minh Phuong firstly played at the Saigon Port club, which won the national championship 2001. In 2002, he left Saigon Port to Dong Tam Long An club at the transfer fee of VND400 million, the highest level at that time.

After eight years with Dong Tam Long An, Minh Phuong left the club to Da Nang Club, after taking two national championships and the super-national cup.

VFF planed to organize a goodbye match for Minh Phuong. the half back will be honored at the match between the national squad and Da Nang Club.

Minh Phuong’s career:

With the Vietnamese national team: AFF 2008 championship, third place at AFF cup 2010, HCM City Cup 2005

With Saigon Port: V-League 2001-2002 championships, National Cup 1999-2000

With Dong Tam Long An: V-League 2005-2006 championships, National Cup 2005, Super Cup 2006

Individual awards: Vietnam Silver Ball 2006

PV