Tuan Hai named among top players to watch at Asian Cup

Since reaching the quarter-final stage of the AFC Asian Cup in 2019, Vietnam have seen a number of new stars emerge, with Pham Tuan Hai developing into one of the most talked-about players in the country, the article wrote.

According to the AFC, the Vietnamese forward has added new dynamism to an attack that was already brimming with talent, as head coach Philippe Troussier replaced the long-serving Park Hang-seo earlier in the year, aiming to guide the Golden Star Warriors to the knockout rounds for the second successive time. 

Tuan Hai is a player that could light up the upcoming AFC Asian Cup, with the in-form Hanoi FC man displaying his considerable potential in the recently concluded AFC Champions League 2023 - 2024 group stage.

The AFC also pointed out the impressive statistics recorded by the Ha Nam native striker in recent times.

Four goals and an assist in an impressive group stage, which included scoring a late winner to eliminate defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds, meant that Tuan Hai displayed his flair to a wider audience and he will now hope for a similar impact when he takes to the pitch for the Golden Star Warriors in Qatar. 

The list of stars who are expected to shine at the 2023 Asian Cup also includes Son Heung-min of the Republic of Korea, Takefusa Kubo of Japan, Ali Mabkhout of the United Arab Emirates, Akram Afif of Qatar, Mehdi Taremi of Iran, Ali Al Hamadi of Iraq, Asnawi Mangkualam of Indonesia, and Wu Lei of China.

In the 2024 Asian Cup, Vietnam are scheduled to play Japan on January 14, Indonesia on January 19 and Iraq on January 24 in Group D.

The 2024 Asian Cup will take place from January 12 to February 10, 2024, in Qatar. The top two teams of each group and the four best third-placed teams will enter the round of 16.

At the 2019 Asian Cup, Vietnam reached the quarter-final stage, eventually losing to Japan.