‘It was a relief — and I was very proud’: Filip Nguyen’s nine-year road to Vietnam

For Filip Nguyen, playing for Vietnam was never simply a change of eligibility. It was a dream tied to identity, family and the patient hope of a father watching his son build a career thousands of kilometres away.

Born in Prague to a Vietnamese father and Czech mother, Nguyen became one of the Czech league’s leading goalkeepers before moving to Công An Hà Nội in 2023. Yet representing Vietnam had occupied nearly a decade of his life. Citizenship arrived weeks before the AFC Asian Cup, allowing him to make his long-awaited tournament debut against Japan.

Speaking to Ryan Walters on Tunnel Vision, Nguyen reflects on the moment, his late top-flight breakthrough and the determination that took him into European competition. He also discusses the personality behind the goalkeeper, the sacrifices hidden beneath a professional career and why his move to Asia feels like the second half of his football life.

Editor’s note: Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

You waited almost nine years for Vietnamese citizenship. What did finally representing Vietnam mean to you?

It was a long process. I received my citizenship only a few weeks before the Asian Cup, then I needed my Vietnamese ID so the national team could register me. I received it on the final day. It was very close.

Playing for the national team was one of the reasons I came to Vietnam, so when everything was completed, I felt relief and I was very proud. When my father heard that I had received citizenship, he tried to hide it, but he wanted to cry. It was a big thing for him and for our family. Seeing how proud and happy he was made me even happier. It is a very special feeling when you can make somebody else’s dream come true.

I knew our first Asian Cup match would be against Japan, one of the best teams in Asia. To make my tournament debut in that stadium against that opposition was amazing. Even though we lost, it is a moment I will never forget — and one I will tell my son about when he is older.

Your first top-flight appearance did not arrive until you were 24. What do you remember about it?

I had spent the season as the second-choice goalkeeper. Before the final match, when everything had been decided, the coach told me that I had worked hard, supported the team and deserved my chance.

It had always been my dream to play in the first league, but I never had huge ambitions all at once. I approached everything step by step. I remember walking towards the stadium and thinking that in a few hours my dream would come true. The match finished 0-0, so I made my debut and kept a clean sheet. We didn’t win, but for me it was still very good.

What was it like playing in front of Fenerbahçe’s supporters?

It was crazy. I could barely hear myself on the field, and it wasn’t only during the match. When we arrived, I went out to inspect the pitch and the supporters immediately started whistling because I was the first player they saw.

The stadium kept all the noise inside, so after the match I could still hear it in my head. They supported their team for the full game, with all the chants, whistles and everything else. We lost 3-0, but experiencing that atmosphere was amazing.

Which club moment gave you the greatest feeling of achievement?

Qualifying for the Europa League group stage. Nobody expected our team to do it. The deciding match was played behind closed doors during COVID, and it was 0-0 heading into stoppage time. I had made one big save — although the ball really hit me on the line and stayed in my hands — and I was beginning to think about extra time.

Then, in the 92nd minute, we were awarded a penalty and scored. There were no supporters in the stadium, but inside my head it felt like an explosion. Everyone was screaming, running and jumping on each other. I have won a Czech Cup final, but for some reason this felt even more special. We didn’t receive a trophy, but we achieved something nobody believed we could.

What qualities have carried you further than some of the more talented players you saw growing up?

I never gave up. Whenever I entered a better environment and saw better players, I wanted to reach their level. I have always been a hard worker and I will give everything at 100 per cent until the final match of my career. I also love proving people wrong. It gives me more motivation.

As a goalkeeper, I am calm and supportive. Some goalkeepers shout at teammates after mistakes, but if I can see that somebody is trying, I tell him to keep his head up and continue. My coaches might say a goalkeeper needs to be crazy and grab defenders by the neck, but that isn’t me. I think I’m a nice guy.

What is the biggest misconception people have about professional footballers?

Supporters see the 90 minutes at the weekend and think footballers have an easy life and earn good money. They don’t see the sacrifices. If your favourite band comes to your city, you might not be able to attend because you have training or a match. Here in Asia, you also spend a great deal of time travelling.

When my daughter was born, I was at the Asian Cup. I saw her for around two weeks and then spent almost two months away. Those are the things people don’t realise. It is a great job and I wouldn’t change it, but there are positive and negative sides.

Our careers are also short, and only a small number of players earn enough that they never need to work again. Football is a lifestyle. You cannot finish training, go home and drink beer without thinking about the next day. The weekend is not only 90 minutes; it begins days earlier with preparation, travel and time in hotels.

If your career were a 90-minute match, what minute would you be in?

Probably around the 60th minute. I consider my years in Europe the first half and my time in Asia the second. I am 33, but maybe I can continue until I’m 41 or 42. We never know — there could be extra time and penalties as well.