5 Troubling Things Bafana Bafana Striker Percy Tau Will Discover at Nam Dinh

Bafana Bafana international Percy Tau has finally found a new football home after months in limbo, signing a one-year deal with Vietnamese champions Thep Xanh Nam Dinh.

At 31, the former Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns star joins a club with a colorful history, recent success, and looming challenges on the continental stage.

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His arrival reunites him with fellow South African Njabulo Blom, who recently joined Nam Dinh, and comes just months before the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where Tau hopes to make Hugo Broos’ final squad.

“Tau brings international pedigree and experience, but Nam Dinh is a club that has lived through highs, lows, and near collapse before rediscovering its winning touch,” said one local football analyst.

Below are five key things Tau – and fans – need to know about his new club.

Nam Dinh, currently known as Thép Xanh Nam Định due to sponsorship, has endured a rollercoaster history.

Once dubbed the “Vietnamese Juventus” in the 1980s because of their black-and-white kits, the club has changed names and sponsors several times.

Financial crises, relegations, and even appeals to fans for funding threatened its very existence. Despite this instability, the club has remained a symbol of resilience in Vietnamese football.

After years of inconsistency, Nam Dinh turned the corner in 2023 under coach Vũ Hồng Việt. On 25 June 2024, they thrashed Khánh Hòa 5–1 to secure their first V.League 1 title since 1985 – ending a 39-year wait.

They followed it up by retaining the title in 2025, cementing their place as the dominant side in Vietnam today.

“Winning back-to-back titles showed Nam Dinh’s transformation from survivors to champions,” noted Vietnamese sports broadcaster Tran Quang.

Success at home means Nam Dinh will now test themselves abroad. They are drawn into Group F of the 2025/26 AFC Champions League Two against Japanese giants Gamba Osaka, Thailand’s Ratchaburi FC, and Eastern FC of Hong Kong.

Analysts warn it will be an uphill battle. The club’s last continental outing ended in a humiliating 7–0 defeat to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Round of 16 of the 2024/25 campaign. Tau’s international experience could be vital in avoiding a repeat.

Even with recent glory, Nam Dinh remains haunted by financial uncertainties. Historically, the team struggled with budgets and was often forced into sponsorship-driven name changes.

While the Thép Xanh (steel company) partnership has stabilized operations, fans know too well that one sponsor’s withdrawal could send the club back into crisis. This fragile financial structure contrasts sharply with Tau’s past employers like Al Ahly and Sundowns, where resources were more robust.

Nam Dinh is not just a football club; it’s the pride of an entire region.

Despite decades of hardship, supporters remained fiercely loyal, often stepping in when the club was on the brink of collapse.

Playing in the Thiên Trường Stadium, known for its passionate crowds, Tau will immediately feel the intensity of Vietnamese football culture.