Vietnam’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2024 ASEAN Championship, Nguyen Xuan Son, is expected to need up to one year to recover from a serious injury sustained during the second leg of the tournament’s final on Sunday, where his team defeated hosts Thailand 3-2 to claim the trophy.

In the 34th minute of the match, naturalized striker Son suffered a serious injury while dribbling at high speed and attempting to cross the ball into the middle. 

After his great effort, the Brazilian-born player unfortunately broke his right leg jupon landing. 

He collapsed on the field in pain and was promptly taken by medical staff to an ambulance and then transported to a hospital in Bangkok.

After receiving emergency treatment, Son regained consciousness and was able to watch the rest of the match live on a smartphone. 

At the hospital, doctors diagnosed him with fractures to both the fibula and tibia, similar to that of midfielder Do Hung Dung in 2021.

Doctors in Bangkok expected Son to require at least eight months of recovery before he could return to the field.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Dr. Ngo Thanh Y, deputy head of the department of on-demand treatment and sports medicine at People’s Hospital 115 in Ho Chi Minh City, explained that the tibia and fibula are the two main bones in the lower leg. 

The tibia is the primary bone, and fractures typically involve both bones.

Such broken leg injuries are relatively common in Vietnam due to the high rate of motorbike use, as traffic accidents often result in leg fractures for victims.

The prognosis for recovery varies depending on the location of the fracture.

In sports, however, such injuries are less frequent.

Dr. Y noted that recovery is possible, as bones heal quickly after surgery. 

“After surgery, the bone will recover well,” he said. 

“With a combination of exercise and rehabilitation for six months to a year, the patient should be able to return to sports as usual.”

Dr. Y also pointed out that as long as there are no additional injuries, such as damage to knee ligaments, the patient should regain mobility and reflexes.

However, if ligament ruptures occur, recovery may be more challenging.

Recovery time also depends on factors such as the surgeon’s skill, including the precision in adjusting and securing the bone in the correct position.

External factors like infection, accidents, or complications in the healing and physical therapy processes can also impact recovery.

Immediately after Sunday’s match, leaders of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) visited Son at the hospital to check on his condition. 

After consulting with doctors, the VFF decided to bring Son back to Vietnam for further treatment at Vinmec Hospital in Hanoi, as part of a cooperation program between the two sides.

In the 2024 ASEAN Championship, Son made five appearances, scoring seven goals and providing two assists. 

He won both the Top Goal Scorer and MVP titles, playing a crucial role in Vietnam’s tournament victory, including a 5-3 aggregate win over Thailand in the two-legged final.

The first match ended 2-1 in Vietnam’s favor in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam last Thursday.

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