Tiến Linh's decline is astonishing, his performance only matches Nam Định's defender.

Tiến Linh disappoints greatly by failing to score in 14 consecutive matches, making his scoring efficiency only comparable to a defender like Lucas Alves of Nam Định in V-League 2025/26.

Nguyễn Tiến Linh's scoring efficiency has become an alarming issue in V-League 2025/26, as the main striker of the Vietnamese national team currently only achieves results equal to a defender like Lucas Alves of Thép Xanh Nam Định. This comparison is not merely statistical but clearly reflects the serious slump of the 1997-born striker.

In the most recent round, the 0-3 loss of TP.HCM Club against Công an Hà Nội on April 19th extended Tiến Linh's "dry spell" to 14 matches. For a striker once considered the top hope of the national team's attack, such a prolonged failure to score is unacceptable. Pressure thus grows as his performance shows no signs of improvement.

Notably, while Tiến Linh struggles, Lucas Alves – a 1.93m tall defender of Nam Định – impresses strongly with 3 goals in just 10 appearances. This is remarkable efficiency for a defensive player, making Tiến Linh's stagnation even more evident as they currently share the same number of goals this season.

In reality, Tiến Linh did not start poorly, scoring 3 goals in the first 5 rounds. However, since late September 2025, he has almost "vanished" from the scoreboard. Poor handling, ineffective finishing, and consistently missed golden opportunities have faded the image of a box-area killer. Declining confidence is becoming the biggest barrier for the 28-year-old striker.

The inevitable consequence is that Tiến Linh was not called up to the Vietnamese national team for the March gathering. With major tournaments like AFF Cup 2026 and FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 approaching, coach Kim Sang-sik has reason to consider more effective alternatives. Without quick improvement in performance, Tiến Linh's position will increasingly be threatened.

Compared to the satisfaction Nam Định enjoys from Lucas Alves's unexpected contributions in set situations, Tiến Linh's situation presents a contrasting picture. Time is running short, and if he does not swiftly regain his scoring instinct, this striker could well be left behind in the fierce competition of V-League and the national team.

Despite his slump, Tiến Linh still 'outclasses' the rest.

Tiến Linh disappoints again, coach Lê Huỳnh Đức bluntly states one thing.