Following a stunning 1-0 victory by the ASEAN All Stars over English Premier League giants Manchester United, Vietnamese midfielder Hai Long has unexpectedly become a global talking point.

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Screenshot: FIFA’s official fanpage featured Hai Long after the ASEAN All Stars’ win over MU.

Among the four Vietnamese players selected for the match, only Hai Long was named in the starting lineup by coach Kim Sang Sik, despite having played in V.League Round 24 just a day earlier and having no training session with the team.

Remarkably, the Hanoi FC midfielder turned in a standout performance in the first 45 minutes. Deployed as a winger in a 3-4-3 formation, Hai Long repeatedly tormented United's backline with his pace and silky footwork.

He recorded three dangerous shots on target in the first half, narrowly missing out on scoring against goalkeeper André Onana.

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Four Vietnamese players – Hai Long, Duy Manh, Hoang Duc, and Van Vi – featured against Manchester United. Photo credit: Ho Hoang Hai.

The official FIFA World Cup fanpage highlighted Hai Long’s performance with a photo and a caption that quickly went viral: “I’ve never heard of this guy…” – a subtle nod to his unexpected brilliance.

International fans also heaped praise on him, with comments like: “Can we swap MU’s number 9 for this guy?” and “Every ASEAN All Stars play rattled MU’s defense, especially number 9.”

From being a key figure at AFF Cup 2024 to stealing the spotlight against a Premier League powerhouse, Hai Long has now become a name appearing across international headlines.

Thien Binh