Vietnam's national team has a 'phenomenon' who single-handedly created four corner kick assists that sparked excitement.

Quietly rising within Coach Kim Sang Sik's system, this defender is making a strong impression with his increasingly sharp assist-making ability for the Vietnam national team.

The Vietnam national team concluded the final group F match of the Asian Cup 2027 final qualifying round with a 3-1 victory over Malaysia at Thiên Trường Stadium on March 31st. Duy Mạnh and Xuân Son were the direct scorers, but behind that explosive performance was a very prominent mark from Trương Tiến Anh on the right flank.

The defender, under the roster of Ninh Bình, not only showed energetic offensive and defensive contributions but also played a major role in two crucial goals. He assisted Duy Mạnh to open the scoring from a corner kick situation, before continuing with an accurate cross for Xuân Son to score the third goal. At the end of that brilliant sequence, one detail is being mentioned more than anything: Tiến Anh is emerging as the new "crossing king" of the Vietnam national team.

The assist for Duy Mạnh against Malaysia was also the fourth time Trương Tiến Anh contributed his touch to Vietnam's goals from corner kicks. Previously, the 1.68m tall player delivered a corner kick for Phạm Tuấn Hải to score from close range to open the scoring in the 3-0 friendly win against Bangladesh on March 26th at Hàng Đẫy Stadium.

Further back, in matches against Nepal during the Asian Cup 2027 final qualifying round, Trương Tiến Anh also consistently left his mark with quality set-piece plays. He passed for Phạm Xuân Mạnh to score in the 3-1 away win, then continued to create pressure with a corner kick that forced Nepal into a self-inflicted goal in the 1-0 home win.

Not only effective in dead-ball situations, Trương Tiến Anh also possesses two additional assists from the wing during the same campaign. He once passed for Châu Ngọc Quang to score in the 5-0 win against Laos, and also created the opportunity for Tiến Linh to score in the 3-1 win against Nepal. If considering specifically the ability to create chances from the right flank, he is currently one of the most outstanding figures in the Vietnam national team.

Statistics further highlight the clear influence of the 27-year-old player. Under Coach Kim Sang Sik, the Vietnam national team has scored 8 goals from corner kicks, with Trương Tiến Anh alone contributing 4 assists. The remaining four goal-scoring passes belong to Hoàng Đức (2 times), Quang Hải, and Võ Hoàng Minh Khoa during the ASEAN Cup 2024 and the Asian Cup 2027 final qualifying round.

Therefore, after the victory over Malaysia, many fans humorously called him "Trent Alexander" Trương Tiến Anh, comparing this defender to Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid and the England national team. That nickname becomes even more noteworthy when looking back at his journey: from a player once doubted under Philippe Troussier, Trương Tiến Anh is now gradually proving his value and becoming one of the most formidable crossers for the Vietnam national team.