At the ASEAN Cup 2024 (AFF Cup), Tien Linh finished as Vietnam’s second-highest scorer behind Xuan Son, netting four goals and playing a key role in the team’s championship victory.

However, experts believe that Tien Linh’s strong performances were significantly influenced by Xuan Son. The 27-year-old forward’s ability to cover ground and attract defenders created crucial space for Tien Linh to exploit.

This was particularly evident from Vietnam’s group-stage match against Myanmar, where Xuan Son’s presence allowed Tien Linh to play with greater ease. As a result, he found himself starting fewer matches and adapting to a different role within the squad.

With a reliable partner in attack, Tien Linh played with a more relaxed mindset, making his finishing more clinical. But following the ASEAN Cup, Xuan Son’s injury forced Tien Linh back into his primary role for the national team. Now, as Vietnam prepares for the challenging Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers - including a pivotal match against Malaysia - Tien Linh faces the pressure of leading the attack without his trusted teammate.

Proving his value

Back in domestic competition, Tien Linh has continued to make his mark. He helped Binh Duong advance to the round of 16 in the National Cup while also reaching a major career milestone in the V-League.

During Binh Duong’s away match against Quang Nam in round 12 of the LPBank V-League 2024/25, Tien Linh scored the decisive goal, securing a 2-1 victory for his team.

That goal not only put him at the top of the league’s scoring chart with eight goals - surpassing Leo Artur (CAHN) and Xuan Son (Thep Xanh Nam Dinh), who both have seven - but also marked the 100th goal of his professional career. He has now netted 75 times for Binh Duong and 25 times for the Vietnamese national team.

With strong momentum, Tien Linh is also setting his sights on the prestigious Vietnam Golden Ball award for 2024, where his main competitor is Hoang Duc of Ninh Binh.

With determination and motivation, Tien Linh is confident in his ability to deliver top performances for Vietnam, ensuring that fans have reason to believe in the team’s attack despite the absence of Xuan Son.

Dai Nam