Son was absent from the award ceremony Sunday night due to an injury sustained during the second leg of the final. Captain Do Duy Manh and vice-captain Nguyen Quang Hai received the awards on his behalf, holding his no. 12 jersey as a tribute.

Vietnam naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son with his wife (R) and the coaching staff at a hospital in Bangkok after he sustained a serious injury during the ASEAN Cup final between Thailand and Vietnam on Jan. 5, 2025.

Son's tournament came to an early end after a first-half incident where he fractured his right leg while attempting to deliver a pass into the penalty area.

Carried off the field on a stretcher, the naturalized striker was immediately taken to hospital. Despite his injury, he continued to watch the match on his phone, supporting his teammates from afar.

Son was crucial in Vietnam’s journey to the final, scoring seven goals in just four matches. His contributions included critical goals in the group stage, semifinals and first leg of the final.

Despite his absence for most of the second leg, his teammates managed to secure victory. Pham Tuan Hai’s early goal gave Vietnam an advantage, and though Thailand equalized with goals from Ben Davies and Supachok Sarachat, Vietnam clinched the title with an own goal by Pansa Hemviboon and a long-range strike by Nguyen Hai Long, winning 5-3 on aggregate.

Son’s efficiency in this tournament was unmatched, averaging a goal every 56 minutes despite not playing the first three matches. Even without playing the second half of the final, he comfortably won the top scorer award, finishing three goals ahead of the nearest competitors.

Nguyen Quang Hai receives the top scorer award on behalf of Nguyen Xuan Son after the ASEAN Cup final on Jan. 5, 2025.

Besides scoring, the 27-year-old striker also provided two assists, created four significant chances and gave two penalty opportunities to teammate Nguyen Tien Linh.

His stellar performance earned him an average Sofascore rating of 8.46 per game, far ahead of Thailand’s Suphanat Mueanta (7.59) and Singapore’s Zico Bailey (7.35).

The severe injury will likely sideline Son for several months. Vietnam will next compete in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Laos in March.

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