Vietnamese U23 players miss their mother's home-cooked meals.

Following their triumph at the U-23 Asian Championship, Coach Park Hang-seo and his team were overwhelmed by the warm welcome from all sides. More than two days after returning from China, many players have had a packed schedule of receptions, social events, celebrations, and other festivities, and haven't yet had a chance to go home.

"Mom, you are everything to me!"

After the Asian tournament, the HA Gia Lai players only had a week to rest before spending half a week "running around" attending meetings and social events, which they couldn't refuse. Recalling the entire parade on the bus from noon until evening, captain Xuan Truong chuckled, saying that he and his teammates hadn't eaten anything all morning. Many players jokingly recounted how, knowing everyone was hungry, people threw food onto the bus. They devoured it all, having a blast. Some players also jokingly told a funny story about the double-decker bus taking five hours to travel several dozen kilometers, prompting many players to come up with ways to "relieve themselves." They laughed heartily after the story, but made them promise not to reveal the "emergency" solution.

Midfielder Quang Hai still trembles when he remembers the welcome he received from the moment he landed at Noi Bai Airport and the arduous journey through the dense crowd of fans. The young player revealed that he had mentally prepared himself for the celebration, but he didn't expect such a massive response. The hugs, scratches, clawing, pulling, and tugging were so intense that his shirt was torn and his hands and feet were scraped… yet the young man still grinned from sheer joy.

When asked what he was most looking forward to, the Hanoi striker unhesitatingly replied, "I'm craving a meal cooked by my mother!" And it's true, ever since meeting his parents in the VIP lounge at Noi Bai Airport, Hai has had to follow the team through all sorts of ceremonies and rituals, so he's been longing for a warm, intimate meal with his family.

Phan Văn Đức and Xuân Mạnh are from Nghệ An, while center-back Bùi Tiến Dũng is from Hà Tĩnh. As soon as they got off the plane, without a word, they all frantically searched for their relatives. Xuân Mạnh spotted his mother through the bus window; as soon as the bus stopped, he rushed to hug her tightly, still clutching the gift from their hometown for her youngest son.

Xuan Manh wrote: “Mom, please don't cry anymore! Because your life has been filled with so much hardship already. Now, please be happy because you have me as your strong emotional support. And you, Mom and Dad, are also the greatest motivation that helps me overcome the most tiring times. Please be happy. Now you can be proud of your son. I love you both very much!”

Van Duc's teammate, bewildered by the noisy crowd, squeezed through, clutching a bouquet of flowers, and ran to embrace the mother from his hometown who had come to welcome her son. The young midfielder choked up, saying, "I don't need anyone else, just Mom is enough. I love you so much, Mom, you're the one who inspires me to strive and work hard. You are everything to me!"

Many tears were shed as Phan Van Duc, the unsung hero of the Vietnam U-23 team, shared his story of scoring a beautiful goal in the quarter-final match, and how he sometimes felt disheartened when he was unintentionally forgotten amidst the bustling crowd.

"Please don't call my son a hero!"

Goalkeeper Tiến Dũng and midfielder Tiến Dụng said they haven't been home for months, ever since they joined the U-23 national team after the tournament and have been constantly on the move. Every night, the two brothers call their parents in their poor hometown of Ngọc Lặc (Thanh Hóa) to ease their homesickness. They've been in Hanoi for two days now, and they only saw their mother briefly at the airport before resuming their busy schedule of team events and meetings.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Bay, Cong Phuong's father, recounted that January 21st is his son's birthday. When he was a child, his parents were poor and never had the money to organize a birthday party for him. Now, wanting to make his son happy on his birthday, he's always away. Mr. Bay shared: "After the quarter-final match, my wife and I tried calling him repeatedly but couldn't get a signal. We just wanted to say a few words to ask about his health and encourage him to play better. On his birthday, we also wanted to wish him good health and rapid growth."

Throughout the time their son was playing in the Asian Championships, the small house of Mr. and Mrs. Bay in Do Luong district (Nghe An province) was bustling with people watching the matches on the large TV that Cong Phuong had bought for them. Whether they won or lost, Mr. and Mrs. Bay couldn't sleep a wink. When the team returned, they were too busy to go and welcome their son home. Cong Phuong's mother proudly said, "I've already bought chicken, and as soon as he gets home, I'll throw a party for everyone. Watching him play on TV, I noticed Phuong seems to have gotten thinner. This time, when he comes home, I'll cook him as much as he wants."

Quietly returning home, the youngest defender, Doan Van Hau, often hid behind his teammates who were excitedly exchanging congratulations. Having played exceptionally well from the U-20 team to the U-23 national team, who would have thought he would suffer an injury in the final group stage match of the Asian Championship and be sidelined for the rest of the season?

“Every night I call home, afraid my parents will be upset about my injury. After each tournament, I don't have much time to visit home. Every time I call, my mother says: ‘Never give up, son, the road ahead is still very long!’” - Van Hau shared.

Over the past few days, Mrs. Duong Thi Cuc and her husband, who live in the outskirts of Hanoi, have been receiving many visitors. Everyone is happy and proud of her son, midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai. Mrs. Cuc recounts that Quang Hai often calls home after each match, and tells them, "Mom and Dad, don't say too much about me."

Knowing her son's intentions, Mrs. Cúc often reminded people that the achievement was the collective effort, not just her son's. "I think people shouldn't praise Quang Hải too much; he's still young. Please don't call my son a hero," she said.

The tearful moment when Duy Mạnh planted the flag on a high pile of snow.

During a Q&A session, player Duy Mạnh recounted the moment he planted the Vietnamese flag on the snow-covered mountaintop at the Changzhou stadium:

“After the match, all the players on the team were in tears. Then the coaching staff came to encourage us, saying, ‘You all played well, it’s just a pity that we weren’t lucky.’ When the whole team went around the stadium to thank the fans, the supporters from the stands gave us flags to drape over our shoulders and wave, showing our pride in reaching the Asian Championship final. At that moment, I was in tears because I was so disappointed about the match, but I was also very proud because it was the first time the Vietnam U-23 team had reached the Asian Championship final.”

The image of Duy Mạnh planting the flag on the highest snow-covered mound at the Changzhou stadium deeply moved fans. Photo: CTV

At that moment, my teammates happened to be ahead of me. I was the last one, with my fitness coach putting his arm around my shoulder, encouraging me not to cry anymore. In front of me was a pile of snow. Fans waved at me, calling my name. I was holding a flag, and I had the idea of ​​planting it there. My thought at that moment was that when I look back on this moment of planting the national flag, I will still remember the memories from China. As I planted it, tears still fell from my eyes, a mix of regret and pride for having done something to contribute to my country. After planting it, I bowed to the fans, bowed to the flag, and followed my teammates into the changing room.”

TT

Shove the snow away so your teammates can take the free kick.

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan spoke about the team spirit and fair play of the U-23 players: “I was deeply moved watching each player endure pain and fatigue, overcoming the difficult moments of each match, especially the final match under the white snow. The players cleared the snow for Quang Hai to take a beautiful free kick into the opponent's net.”

Even more touching were the images of the children supporting each other during the match, sharing the joy after each goal. It wasn't just the children; the coaching staff and doctors were also the unsung heroes who silently contributed to this historic victory.

Xuan Truong's statement that the Vietnam U-23 team has no stars, only one star located on the left side of his chest, is an expression of unity, love, and solidarity, and conveys immense inspiration.

Teammates cleared the snow for Quang Hai to take the free kick. Photo: CTV.

Captain Xuan Truong recounted the situation of clearing the snow for Quang Hai: “The heavy snowfall made the pitch quite bad, so Van Thanh and I used our hands to clear the snow to create a clear space for Hai to place his foot firmly on the ground. The shooting angle was favorable for both of us, but when I saw the look in his eyes, as if saying, 'Let me take it!', I nodded because of that look and that strong belief. That meant Quang Hai would take the free kick. I knew my teammate was very confident.”

CT