The Nghe An Newspaper Cup opens up new horizons, allowing children's dreams to soar.

Great success in many aspects.

After a week of exciting competition, the 26th Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament 2024, co-organized by Nghe An Newspaper, the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department of Education and Training, and Song Lam Nghe An Football Joint Stock Company, has concluded...

This year's tournament featured 32 teams (14 youth teams and 18 children's teams) from 21 districts, cities, and towns, with 412 athletes participating. The tournament included 64 matches, comprising 39 children's matches and 25 youth matches.

It can be said that the 26th Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament in 2024 was a great success in many aspects. In terms of organization, the tournament was large-scale and impressive. The playing fields met the required standards. Personnel management was well-maintained. All participating players were the right age and possessed ideal physical fitness.

Under the supervision of a team of experienced FIFA and national-level referees, all matches were conducted fairly and objectively… Throughout the tournament, the organizing committee did not receive any complaints related to personnel or competition.

The tournament's media coverage was conducted in a systematic and professional manner. Matches were broadcast live on the digital platforms of Nghe An Newspaper and the strong brand television channel of FPT Telecommunications Joint Stock Company (FPT Play). Content production and distribution were elevated to a new level, moving towards a professional and modern approach.

Hundreds of highlight clips of beautiful goals, news articles, and photo collections about the matches and spectacular goals, along with fascinating stories from the sidelines, have been posted... attracting millions of views, reach, and accesses on the publications and digital platforms of Nghe An Newspaper and FPT Play television channel. In addition, numerous central and local media outlets participated in, supported, reported on, and updated the tournament.

Returning to the tournament, the teams had prepared thoroughly and meticulously. The players entered the competition with a winning spirit. The young players all possessed good technique, ball handling skills, and tactical thinking; they strived to give their all, providing the audience with exciting and thrilling moments. The matches were dramatic with many beautiful goals. According to statistics, 272 goals were scored throughout the season, averaging 4.3 goals per match.

This season, football fans in Nghe An province were truly delighted with the performances of the teams from the mountainous regions of Tuong Duong, Que Phong, and Quy Chau... While the Que Phong and Quy Chau youth teams overcame many strong opponents to reach the quarterfinals, the Tuong Duong children's team did even better, winning their first bronze medal in 26 years of participating in the tournament. The Tuong Duong children's team truly left a beautiful impression on the hearts of football fans in the province.

Besides the emerging teams that created pleasant surprises, the traditional teams from Quỳnh Lưu, Yên Thành, Đô Lương, Tân Kỳ, Hoàng Mai town, Diễn Châu, Vinh city, and Quỳ Hợp still demonstrated their strength. The matches in the tournament showed that the professional quality of the teams is increasingly high and consistent, with no significant disparity in skill levels.

Commenting on the quality of players participating in this year's Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament, Mr. Tran Quang Dung - Director of the Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center, said: “This year's tournament has a very high professional quality. Through observation, we have discovered many talented players. These will be a source of quality athletes for Song Lam Nghe An to supplement the U10 and U12 teams participating in the National Youth Football Tournament to be held in 2025.”

This year's tournament further demonstrates that the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament is no longer just a sports competition, but a playground, a stepping stone opening up a new, broader, and higher horizon for children's dreams to soar. After observing the matches this season, the coaches of Song Lam Nghe An Football Club have selected 73 players (42 children and 31 youth players) to invite to the Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center for training and tryouts. It is expected that the center will select and sign contracts with over 20 athletes for the U10 class and nearly 20 athletes for the U12 class.

Many positive impressionsmemorable

The 2024 season concluded with many positive and memorable impressions. This included the attention and involvement of local authorities at all levels. Before the tournament, many localities organized competitions from the commune to the district level to select participants, creating momentum for the development of mass sports movements.

Throughout the tournament, the Nghe An Newspaper Cup consistently received the presence of leaders from the provincial to district, city, and town levels, as well as sponsors, who came to watch and cheer. They provided timely rewards and encouragement to the children who achieved high results, and also motivated those who did not win. Notable examples include leaders from the districts of Nam Dan, Tuong Duong, and Quy Hop… Some local leaders who could not travel to Vinh City to watch the matches followed the games through the Nghe An Newspaper's digital platforms and shared the matches on their personal pages, allowing a large number of local football fans to follow the tournament.

Mr. Ha Huy Nham, Director of the Culture, Sports and Communication Center of Quy Hop District, commented: “The Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament is a beneficial playground for teenagers and children. The tournament is truly a “practical action, prioritizing resources for children”; promoting the movement of “All citizens caring for, educating and protecting children” in general and the movement of training to improve health, strengthen physical fitness, and develop football talent in particular. The tournament has received great attention from all levels, sectors, and the people. The 2024 Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament is truly of high quality.”

Throughout the tournament, enthusiastic fans and spectators of youth football closely followed the matches. The sound of drums and trumpets created a vibrant, festive atmosphere. Supporters from teams like Dien Chau and Vinh City, with their bright red flags and banners, created beautiful scenes in the stands...

Many fans, undeterred by the long distances, traveled from Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Quy Chau, Que Phong, Hoang Mai town, and Tan Ky to attend the tournament... They temporarily set aside their work to support the teams for an entire week. Even the family of player Dau Hoang Bach Nhan (Quy Chau Youth team), consisting of six people, all traveled to Vinh to watch the football match.

Then there were many touching stories about the parents of the young players, such as the grandmother of player Lo Cuong Trang (Que Phong Youth team) who sold 300 kg of rice to follow the team to Vinh to cheer for her grandson; and the grandmother of goalkeeper Pham Hoang Gia Bao (Vinh City Youth team), who, at 84 years old, still takes a motorbike taxi to watch all the matches her grandson plays, rain or shine.

Every competition has winners and losers. However, in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament, there are no losers. This is because in all the matches, the young players tried their best, fully demonstrating their aspirations, willpower, and efforts to surpass themselves.

Fans were deeply moved to learn that Lo Quoc Duc – the youngest player on the Tuong Duong Children's team – had suffered injuries from repeated collisions with opponents, but his fighting spirit was incredibly resilient. After learning he had sprained his ankle, despite the pain, Quoc Duc continued to play with the utmost effort...

Each competition is an opportunity for players to hone their skills and learn valuable lessons. Experience gained in tournaments helps players grow both physically and mentally.

The Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament not only created exciting and dramatic football matches, but also opened up a playground and a learning environment. Here, young players can interact and learn in the spirit of fair play, sportsmanship, and solidarity. In sports, there are always wins and losses, but sometimes winning and losing aren't everything...

At this year's tournament, the organizers awarded titles and prizes to 161 players who excelled both academically and professionally. This is a very impressive number: the highest number of players who excelled both academically and professionally ever. In addition, the "For the Poor" Fund of Nghe An province awarded scholarships totaling 42 million VND to 21 underprivileged students who overcame difficulties.

Football player Phan Van Bao Quoc (Hoang Mai Town Youth Team) shared: “I am very happy and proud to represent the youth of the town at this tournament and to receive gifts. I learned many new and interesting things. In the future, I will be determined to study hard and play football well so that I can receive gifts, participate in similar football tournaments, and travel to many places.”

The 26th Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament 2024 has concluded, but it is certain that the beautiful images and valuable experiences of the tournament will continue to spread.

The tournament is just a small part of the long journey for these young players. Comrade Ngo Duc Kien - Editor-in-Chief of Nghe An Newspaper and Head of the Organizing Committee - expressed his hope that the children will continue to carry the spirit of "excelling in studies and playing football" from the tournament into their future development; and hoped to continue receiving the attention, support, and cooperation of organizations and individuals so that the tournament can be organized even better, contributing to creating a healthy and beneficial playground for children during the summer, thereby further promoting the physical and mental development of children.