Nguyen Xuan Son is writing one of the most dramatic comebacks in Vietnamese football, and perhaps Southeast Asia.

After nearly a year recovering from a broken leg, the striker has returned with remarkable form, firing Nam Dinh into the semifinals of the ASEAN Club Championship 2025/26 - and racing toward the tournament’s Golden Boot.

Xuan Son made his official comeback in November 2025 during Vietnam’s Asian Cup 2027 qualifier against Laos. Coming off the bench, he confidently converted a penalty to break the deadlock, helping coach Kim Sang Sik’s team seal a 2-0 win.

Since then, the 1997-born forward has gone from strength to strength.

At club level, he’s been in unstoppable form for Thep Xanh Nam Dinh, netting 7 goals in just 3 matches in the regional tournament. His strikes account for more than half of Nam Dinh’s total haul of 12 goals so far - a testament to his impact and efficiency.

Thanks to his efforts, Nam Dinh secured their semifinal berth one round early, currently topping the group standings.

On February 5, Xuan Son and Nam Dinh face off against Johor Darul Ta'zim (Malaysia) at 7:30 p.m. in their final group-stage fixture. Both teams have already advanced, but top spot in Group B is still up for grabs.

Speaking ahead of the match, head coach Mauro remained focused: “Our objective is always to win, no matter the opponent. The schedule is packed and it does affect player recovery, but I won’t dwell on that. We’ll stay focused on this game first.”

He added: “Once we’re in the semifinals, we can start thinking about the title. But football doesn’t work on assumptions - we need to be clear about our goals at each stage.”

Xuan Son’s form is not just helping Nam Dinh chase the regional title - it’s sparking excitement around his personal comeback story.

With seven goals already, he’s now a serious contender for Top Scorer of the tournament. If he keeps this momentum going, Xuan Son could complete a full-circle return - from injury agony to championship glory.

Dai Nam