The number 37 jersey is special at Ho Chi Minh City FC.

(Baonghean.vn) - Compared to his contemporaries like Trong Hoang, Van Binh, Van Hoan, etc., Nguyen Hong Viet is in no way inferior in terms of talent. However, the football career of this midfielder born in 1989 has become increasingly challenging as time went on.

In 2006, during his debut at the National U17 Championship Finals, Hong Viet was recognized as one of the most promising talents in Nghe An football.

In that tournament, along with his teammate Trong Hoang, the player with the magical left foot played a major role in helping the young Nghe An team easily win the championship, overcoming a series of strong opponents such as U17 Nam Dinh and U17 Da Nang. The slender but very quick and skillful young man himself won the top scorer title (7 goals).

Hong Viet during his playing days for SLNA.

Also at the age of 17, Hong Viet's natural talent was further confirmed when he scored 3 goals in the U19 National Championship final against Nam Dinh. To this day, the generation of players born in 1989, including Hong Viet, is almost the last generation that can make SLNA dominate the U19 National Championship finals in such a way.

But that's not all; Hong Viet also won the Southeast Asian U20 Championship at the young age of 18 as captain of the Vietnam U20 team.

A year after those successful youth tournaments, this exquisitely talented midfielder was promoted to the SLNA first team along with Trong Hoang, amidst a wave of departures from the Nghe An team.

However, while Trong Hoang always appreciated opportunities and had a clear path to advancement from club to national team, the football path and life that Hong Viet chose for himself began to go astray.

In 2008, the entire Vietnamese football community was stunned when Hong Viet was arrested by the police for possessing a packet of heroin, but those at SLNA were not, as they had already recognized Viet's reckless lifestyle. From then on, all doors slammed shut in his face.

After a vicious cycle of addiction, rehabilitation, and relapse, nearly three years after those dark days, a miracle happened for this player when coach Nguyen Huu Thang met Viet's father again and learned that he had made efforts to overcome his addiction. That was the time when the coach from Nghe An returned to lead SLNA from Hanoi T&T.

Using his reputation and honor as a guarantee, Coach Huu Thang successfully persuaded the SLNA leadership to bring Viet back and sign an official contract.

Rising from the depths of despair caused by drug addiction, Hong Viet constantly reminds himself to strive his best to live up to the expectations of coach Huu Thang and the emotional support of his wife, Dau Thi Lien. Since the second half of the 2011 V.League season, Hong Viet has played 10 matches, scored 3 goals, and made a significant contribution to helping the Nghe An team win their third title in Vietnam's top football league.

Five years of proving himself in his hometown team's colors is nothing compared to Hong Viet's talent and background. But it can be considered the most beautiful and happiest period in this player's career. That's why, upon returning to Vinh Stadium as a Dong Nai player, Hong Viet didn't celebrate the goal he scored against his former team, to which he owes so much.

After playing for Dong Nai and Hai Phong in the recent V.League 2016, Hong Viet once again dreamed of playing for his hometown team. Now, after many years of saving, Hong Viet's small family owns two sports equipment stores in Vinh City.

Hong Viet in the jersey of Hai Phong Club.

Life had gradually settled down, and with the recent arrival of their third child, a baby girl, Viet longed to play closer to home to be with his wife and children. However, faced with the prospect of only receiving a salary while playing for SLNA, the opportunity to join the newly promoted Ho Chi Minh City FC presented a hopeful prospect for this once-talented player. Hong Viet reluctantly left his family to continue pursuing his football career.

Anyway, joining a newly promoted team that's investing heavily like Ho Chi Minh City FC is a suitable move for a player who has spent many years competing in the V.League like Hong Viet. Especially since there are also Au Hoan, Dinh Luat, Thanh Phong, and particularly the veteran Le Cong Vinh.

Getting regular playing time and performing well for his new team might be the best way for him to provide for his family at this time.

At his new club, Hong Viet chose the number 37 jersey. This number holds special significance, as SLNA is where Viet fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional footballer, where he overcame his mistakes, and where he rose again during the most difficult times of his life...

Trung Kien