Thanh Nga

From Europe to North America and Australia, a new generation of young players of Vietnamese heritage is making its way into V.League 1, bringing with it experience of different football cultures and training systems.

The 2026/27 season has seen at least nine newcomers registered by clubs across the league. Aged mostly between 19 and 23, they arrive from Belgium, France, Canada, Austria, Ireland and the US, playing in positions across the pitch.

Among the new arrivals is 19-year-old Lenn Minh-Tran, a Vietnamese-Belgian right-back at HCM City Police. He was trained at Belgian club KRC Genk and has also played for Belgian youth teams.

Hà Nội FC have signed Vietnamese-French- forward Aymeric Faurand-Tournaire, 22.

Thép Xanh Nam Định have added two young players: Tyler James Thai Crawford, a Vietnamese-Canadian defender, 22, and midfielder Van-Alessandro Nguyen Skyriotis, 20, who has Vietnamese-Austrian roots.

 

Bắc Ninh FC have signed Reece Minh-Kai Gaylor, while Thể Công Viettel have added Australian-Vietnamese goalkeeper Lawrence Caruso.

SHB Đà Nẵng have signed midfielder Bryan Ly, while Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh have added defender Thuan Jacob Ian Mai. Sông Lam Nghệ An have also signed French-Vietnamese midfielder Abdel Amine Tran Duc Vinh.

The presence of these young players has added another dimension to the league. They arrive with experience of different football systems and training methods, while most are still young enough to develop further.

Including the nine new arrivals, 25 players of Vietnamese heritage have been registered by 14 clubs for the 2026/27 season.

The opening matches of the season have already provided several glimpses of their potential. At Thể Công Viettel, central defender Kyle Colonna played an important role in a 2-0 victory over Đồng Nai at Bình Phước Stadium.

Colonna was strong in aerial duels and showed an ability to read the game and make timely interceptions. He was a regular for the club last season and has been recommended for the Vietnamese national team by coach Velizar Popov. Colonna has expressed his desire to play for Việt Nam once he completes the necessary nationality procedures.

Big impression

Meanwhile, at HCM City Police, Minh-Tran was given a starting place against Hà Nội FC, ahead of former national team player Lê Quang Hùng.

The decision came after HCM City Police suffered a 5-0 defeat to Hà Nội Police in the National Super Cup. Against Hà Nội FC, Minh-Tran showed confidence on the right flank and delivered a good cross for Nguyễn Tiến Linh to head home.

His previous training at KRC Genk and experience with Belgian youth teams have given him a different football background from many young domestic players.

At Thép Xanh Nam Định, Crawford made an immediate impression on his V.League 1 debut.

The defender, who was born in Canada and raised in the US, has both Vietnamese and Jamaican roots.

Coach Vũ Hồng Việt handed him a starting place against Hoàng Anh Gia Lai, with Crawford playing on the left flank.

Crawford was active in both defence and attack. He used his pace to push forward and provided the assist for Ezequiel Santos to open the scoring as Nam Định won 4-0 at Thiên Trường Stadium.

“Việt Nam is my mother's homeland. Playing here is an honour,” Crawford said after the match.

He admitted that football in Việt Nam is different from the environments he has previously experienced, particularly in playing style, culture and language. However, support from his teammates has helped him adapt to his new club. Crawford also credited coach Việt with motivating the squad before the season opener.

“He always encouraged us to give our best, play with confidence and courage,” Crawford said. “We did that and fought together as a team.”

Crawford had previously played for Canada's U20 team before joining Nam Định in July. His debut has given the defending champions another option on the flank.

Another young player attracting attention is Trần Thành Trung of Ninh Bình.

Born in 2005 and trained in Bulgaria, Trung is expected to play an important role in midfield following Nguyễn Hoàng Đức's departure.

He provided two assists for Lucao do Break and Nguyễn Lê Phát in Ninh Bình's 4-1 comeback win over Hải Phòng at Lạch Tray Stadium.

Trung had difficulties adapting to the team last season but has shown progress and could become an important player in Ninh Bình's title challenge.

Other players of Vietnamese heritage, including Jason Quang Vinh, Adou Minh, Ngô Đăng Khoa and Williams Minh Hoàng, have also made their presence felt in the league.

The growing number of young players with overseas training backgrounds gives V.League 1 clubs access to a wider pool of talent, while their different football experiences could bring new qualities to the competition.

For the players themselves, establishing a regular place in V.League 1 could be an important step in their careers. Some may eventually become candidates for Việt Nam's youth teams and, if they continue to develop, the senior national team.

For now, however, the first challenge is to earn playing time and prove themselves in the domestic league. The opening matches of the season suggest that several of them are ready to meet that challenge. — VNS