Vietnam legend Le Cong Vinh gets Asian Football Confederation endorsement

By Minh Khang March 24, 2020 | 10:00 pm PT

Former striker Le Cong Vinh reacts during a match with North Korea in 2016. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong.

The Asian Football Confederation has named Vietnam’s former striker Le Cong Vinh as one of the five football legends of Southeast Asia.

He made the ASEAN Legends list on Monday along with the Philippines' Neil Etheridge, Malaysia's Soh Chin Aun, Thailand's Kiatisuk Senamuang, and Indonesia's Bambang Pamungkas.

Vinh is the all-time top scorer for his country with 51 goals. He helped Vietnam win the 2008 AFF Cup championship with a headed goal against Thailand in the dying moments of extra minute in their second-leg match. That was Vietnam first victory at the Southeast Asian tournament, which was only repeated again in 2018.

He won the Vietnam Golden Ball in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

The 35-year-old is among the top 10 scorers in the history of the Asian Football Federation with 15 goals. He played abroad for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo (Japan) and Leixões SC (Portugal).

He retired in 2016 and was the chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Football Club from January 2017 to May 2018.

The other four are also superstars of Southeast Asian football: Senamuang, 47, scored 70 international goals; Bambang, 40, scored 38; Soh, 70, was a defender for the national team from 1971 to 1985; and Etheridge, 30, is a goalkeeper currently playing for Cardiff City in England.