Shining for U23 Vietnam and even making his mark with the national team, Nguyen Dinh Bac is nevertheless encountering real difficulties in the V-League.

At the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals, Dinh Bac exploded onto the scene as one of the tournament’s brightest stars. He outperformed many of Asia’s most promising names to claim the Golden Boot, along with awards for best goal of the group stage and best goal of the tournament.

His continental-class ability is beyond dispute. Not only did he excel at the U23 Asian Cup, but the striker born in 2004 also left his imprint at the Southeast Asian Club Championship and the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26 while playing for CAHN (Hanoi Police) FC.

Yet there is a paradox. Back in the V-League, Dinh Bac has not been able to fully showcase his talent. More surprisingly, as the first half of the V-League season concluded, the Nghe An-born forward had yet to score a single goal for CAHN.

In truth, his muted impact in the V-League stems from both objective and subjective reasons. With U23 Vietnam, Dinh Bac was the focal point, the star around whom the team revolved. At CAHN, however, he must largely rely on himself.

Since the start of the campaign, the 22-year-old has started eight matches and come off the bench in two, making 10 appearances in total. Still, he has consistently faced difficulties and has not looked as dangerous as he did in the U23 Vietnam jersey.

At under 23, Dinh Bac still lacks the experience and the subtle “streetwise” tricks needed when confronting foreign players and high-caliber defenders in the V-League. As coach Alexandre Polking has noted, the young striker needs more time to truly mature.

Beyond purely technical matters, Dinh Bac has also been involved in various promotional activities in recent times. While all remain under control, they inevitably affect the concentration of U23 Vietnam’s leading forward.

In the upcoming matches and perhaps until the end of the season, coach Polking is likely to continue placing his trust in foreign players rather than fully relying on a young star like Dinh Bac, especially as CAHN now have only one remaining objective - winning the V-League title.

Consistency of form, physical foundation, mental resilience and the kind of crafty edge required at the highest level are precisely what the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup top scorer is still missing.

That does not mean Dinh Bac has run out of chances to shine, or at least to make his mark in the V-League. The formidable challenge ahead may well become the driving force pushing the 2004-born striker to strive harder, refine himself further, and fight fairly for a starting place at club level.

Dai Nam