On the sidelines: 'Sweatsuit?'

A ball in the match between Thanh Chuong FC and Do Luong FC. Photo: Thanh Cuong

With the tactic of sticking close, pressing and marking tightly, the Do Luong Children's players always followed, 1 on 1. There were times when Do Luong Children's committed a foul, Thanh Chuong's young players were awarded a free kick, so the marking became even more "intense", many times, Do Luong players hugged the opposing team's players, forcing the referee to warn them.

Being marked too closely by the opposing player, a player of Thanh Chuong Children's Club had to snap: "Let go and breathe! Do you smell like sweat?"

Black to keep out termites

Player Nguyen Dac Quan (middle) of Do Luong Children's School. Photo: Thanh Phuc

In the Do Luong Children's team, there is a player wearing the number 9 jersey, Nguyen Dac Quan, whose skin is as black as an African's. His teammates often joke with Quan, saying, "Asian eyes, African cheeks", "Blacker than white", "Bathing in the Lam River but your skin is as dark as bathing in the Ganges River"...

In response to those jokes from his teammates, Dac Quan responded humorously: "Black to avoid termites!"

Human powered cardboard fan

Cardboard fans powered by human power. Photo: Thanh Phuc

During breaks or rare time-outs, the team caregivers are busy taking care of the young players. Giving them water, wiping them down and letting them “dry off their sweat” to gain strength for the next game, the teachers make use of all available objects to fan them.

Paper fans were brought along, hand towels were waved, water containers were “divided into five or seven” into fans… The coaches were concerned with tactics, the children were concerned with learning, and in the hot weather, there were cardboard fans with motors that ran by human power…