Harry Kewell calls, Do Hoang Hen responds

08/10/2025 07:59:00 GameGladiator

It can be considered a lucky coincidence that Harry Kewell, former star and legend of the English Premier League and the Australian national team, arrived in Vietnam just as a talented left-footed player in the V-League, Hendrio, was about to finalize his naturalization at Hanoi FC.

Vietnamese football fans are very familiar with Hendrio Dasilva and even more so with Kewell, the former star of Leeds United and Liverpool. It is not an exaggeration to say that combining these two left-footed talents would be very difficult to defend against.

Left-footed players are often quite special. Before Quang Hai emerged, Hang Day Stadium was home to Thanh Luong, a four-time Vietnamese Golden Ball winner. Thanh Luong and Van Quyet helped create an undefeated Hanoi FC domestically and also made progress at the continental level, specifically in the 2019 AFC Cup, the predecessor of today’s AFC Champions League Two. This pair was the spear and sword of Hanoi FC at their historical peak.

Returning to the legend Harry Kewell, one of the most famous footballers from Australia, his visit to Vietnam has its reasons. Money is only part of it; reputation matters more. In Vietnam, everyone knows Kewell, a beloved and well-liked player across Asia.

Coach Kewell is expected to help Hanoi FC quickly restore its leading status in the V-League. Photo: Hanoi FC

Kewell’s arrival at Hanoi FC might also help the club gain more attention and popularity. Before 2019, Hanoi FC had no worthy rivals in Vietnam, but it was never the most favored club. Kewell is the solution to that.

In his young coaching career, Kewell has faced more failures than successes, with a winning rate of only 33%. His best coaching achievement was becoming runner-up in the AFC Champions League (the predecessor of today’s AFC Champions League Elite) with Yokohama Marinos, Japan, in the 2023/24 season. This is exactly what Hanoi FC aspires to.

As the capital’s football representative and the most successful club in the V-League era, Hanoi FC has dominated domestically for a long time. They have wanted to compete on the continental stage for several years but failed because to advance regionally, they must continue to win domestically. Since 2022, Hanoi FC has been absent from the winners’ podium.

Harry Kewell will surely bring a fresh breeze not only to Hanoi FC but also to Vietnamese football. Alongside him is Hendrio Dasilva, naturalized as Do Hoang Hen, a wonderful addition to the Vietnamese national team in the near future, especially since we already have a nearly perfect Nguyen Xuan Son.

All roads and eyes are currently focused on Hang Day.

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