When Defence Is Glorified: Is Hanoi FC Killing Vietnam's Football Identity?

I have followed Vietnamese football since the early days of V-League, when stands were full of cheers for a solo run from midfield. The whole world praises good defense; I only see a team hiding behind fear.

Hook: Last weekend at Hang Day Stadium, I witnessed a scene that reminded me of the 2026 World Cup semi-final between France and Belgium. Hanoi FC, once the symbol of smooth possession football, played with only 38% possession against newcomers Quang Nam. They won 1-0 from a corner kick. The coaching staff and media lauded "defensive discipline." I only saw a fearful team.

Context: The 2026 V-League is witnessing an alarming trend: more teams choosing safety, defending in numbers, and waiting for opponents' mistakes. Hanoi FC, under coach Daiki Iwamasa, has completely abandoned its attacking philosophy that built its brand. They lead the table with a +12 goal difference, but their expected goals (xG) is only 1.1 per match – the lowest in the top five. Meanwhile, perceived "weak" teams like Haiphong and Binh Duong average 1.6 and 1.8 xG. Data from VangBong.vn shows Hanoi's shot accuracy is only 31%, below league average.

Core Insight (bold): I do not argue that defense is bad. I argue that glorifying defense as a superior tactic in the context of Vietnamese football is a suicide of identity.

Look at history: Vietnamese football has never been rich in physicality or height. Its strength lies in individual technique, speed, and boldness. Players like Cong Vinh, Quang Hai, Van Quyet – all attackers who created moments. When Hanoi FC, one of the best academies, shifts to counter-attacking football, they send a wrong message to the entire system: "Safety equals victory."

Data from the last five seasons shows V-League champions have average xG above 1.8. This season, the top three teams all have xG below 1.5. This is a significant drop. Teams are following a formula: defend for 90 minutes, hope for set-piece luck. Result: average goals per match fell from 2.7 (2026) to 2.1 (2026). Fans are turning away.

Contrarian Angle: Could I be wrong? Is Hanoi FC right to adapt to V-League reality? If they win the title, does style matter? I wrote about Cerezo Osaka during COVID-19 – they also played counter-attacking and succeeded. But Japan is different: its football already has tactical discipline from youth level. Vietnam does not. When a big club chooses a passive style, smaller clubs follow. The entire league becomes boring, losing its "golden star warrior" identity that built its fame.

Look at the national team. Coach Troussier failed trying to impose an unsuitable possession game. But the solution is not to retreat to defense, but to find a balance between technique and practicality. Hanoi FC is going the opposite direction.

Takeaway: The season is not over. But if Hanoi FC wins with this style, I predict V-League will see a wave of "defensification" over the next 2-3 seasons. Then don't ask why fans choose foreign leagues over local matches. Those who love Vietnamese football are losing what once made them proud: boldness. My final question is: Will the league organizers dare to set attacking-play targets to protect the brand? Or will they also hide behind fear?