On the evening of August 11, the Vietnamese football community was shocked by the news of the passing of Phan Thanh Hung, one of the most esteemed coaches in the history of Vietnamese football, at the age of 66 after a prolonged illness.

Phan Thanh Hung was a significant figure in Vietnamese football. As a player, he represented Quang Nam Da Nang Football Club (now known as SHB Da Nang) from 1980 to 1992, contributing to their national championship victory in 1992. Although he played for the national team in 1993 during a time when Vietnamese football was just beginning to regain its footing on the international stage, he did not achieve notable success as a player.

In 2007, Phan Thanh Hung began his professional coaching career, leading SHB Da Nang from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, he took over at Hanoi T&T (now Hanoi FC), where he enjoyed the most successful period of his coaching career. Under his guidance, the team won the V-League titles in 2010 and 2013, establishing Hanoi FC as one of the most successful clubs in Vietnam. During this time, he also secured a National Super Cup in 2010.

In 2016, he moved to coach Than Quang Ninh, leading them to a National Cup victory that same year. He later managed Becamex TPHCM from 2020 to 2021 and returned to SHB Da Nang during various periods from 2021 to 2023 and again in 2025.

At the national level, Hung coached the U23 Vietnam team at the 2010 Asian Games and the senior national team during the 2012 ASEAN Cup. On August 9, just days before his passing, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) honored him with a medal for his contributions to the development of Vietnamese football.

Last year, Phan Thanh Hung unexpectedly announced his departure from SHB Da Nang and had been living a reclusive life in Da Nang. In recent months, his health had rapidly declined, culminating in the heartbreaking news of his passing on the night of August 11.