Sport

Nguyen Dinh Bac: From a "tiny" boy at the Nghe An Newspaper Cup to a star of the Vietnam U23 team.

Duc Anh • May 13, 2026 20:45

During the days when Nguyen Dinh Bac consistently shone in the V.League and with the Vietnam U23 team, fans in Nghe An province talked more about the inspiring journey of the striker born in 2004. From a small boy playing football on the dirt field of Hung Nguyen to a national team player, it was a long road of continuous effort. And at the starting point of that journey, there was a very special milestone: the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Tournament.

The small boy and his historic Silver Medal.

In 2015, Coach Vo Van Phuong, then leading the Hung Nguyen Children's team, participated in the tournament. During the selection process, he discovered a small boy with outstanding technique compared to his peers. That boy was Nguyen Dinh Bac.

Coach Vo Van Phuong still vividly remembers his first meeting with his former student.

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Back then, Bac was one of the smallest players on the team. But he had a very clear talent for football, handling the ball skillfully and very quickly; Bac's technique stood out much more than his peers.

Coach Vo Van Phuong recounted.

To prepare for that year's tournament, Coach Vo Van Phuong recruited players from many schools in Hung Nguyen district. More than 10 children were selected for the district's children's football team. Dinh Bac was driven a considerable distance by his family to training every day.

“Back then, the family had to drive Bac from outside the commune to the town for training. Sometimes his father drove him, other times relatives took turns bringing him. What I remember most is that even though he was small, Bac was very diligent in training and loved playing football,” shared coach Vo Van Phuong.

At the 2015 Nghe An Newspaper Cup, the Hung Nguyen Children's team caused a big surprise by winning the Silver Medal. Throughout that journey, Dinh Bac was one of the most outstanding players in the attacking line.

Coach Vo Van Phuong recalled that Bac was frequently included in the starting lineup. "If there were 5 matches, Bac would start about 4 of them. At that time, he played in an attacking position and was very confident when he had the ball," he said.

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Bac scored quite a few goals, and he was instrumental in helping Hung Nguyen Children's Team win the Silver Medal for the first time at the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Tournament.

Coach Vo Van Phuong

Not only did Coach Vo Van Phuong discover Dinh Bac, but he also believes that the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Tournament plays a very important role in youth football in Nghe An province.

"This tournament is of great significance to Nghe An football. From this tournament, many talented players have been discovered and brought into professional training. For the localities, this is also an opportunity for young football enthusiasts to gain experience and showcase their abilities," the coach shared.

It was also from that tournament that Dinh Bac caught the eye of Song Lam Nghe An's scouts. The young striker was brought to train at the Nghe An football academy. Although he was once sent back because his physique was not yet developed, with his willpower and ambition, Dinh Bac did not give up on football.

Now, seeing his former student shine in domestic and international competitions, Coach Vo Van Phuong cannot hide his pride. “Back then, Bac was small and a bit thin, but very skillful. What was most valuable was his immense passion for football. Now, seeing Bac mature like this, I am truly happy,” he said emotionally.

A place to nurture talent.

It's no coincidence that Nghe An football has consistently produced talented strikers across generations. This is the result of a persistent grassroots football movement, where children play football from a very young age on village fields, schoolyards, and in school tournaments.

Within this context, the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Tournament plays a particularly important role. Not only does it create a playground for children, but the tournament also becomes a place to discover raw talents for Nghe An football.

For many years, the youth coaches of Song Lam Nghe An have almost always considered the Newspaper Cup a crucial "meeting point" for discovering talent. Many players from this tournament have later matured, played for the national team, and become icons of Vietnamese football.

From Pham Van Quyen with his graceful and inspiring footwork, Le Cong Vinh with his coolness and efficiency, to Nguyen Cong Phuong with his daring dribbling, and now Nguyen Dinh Bac of a more modern generation of footballers, faster and more powerful.

The common thread among most of these forwards is that they all rose through the ranks of the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Tournament. This tournament has long been a place for discovering, nurturing, and launching the careers of many football talents in Nghe An province.

Nguyen Dinh Bac is a prime example. From a young boy wearing the Hung Nguyen Children's team jersey, he has now become a great hope in the Vietnamese football attack.

Sharing his thoughts about the tournament that was a part of his childhood, Nguyen Dinh Bac said that it was the place that gave him more motivation to pursue professional football.

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The Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Tournament is a very beautiful memory for me. Those matches gave me more confidence and a burning desire to pursue football. I am always grateful to the teachers and the tournament for giving me the opportunity to play football.

Player Nguyen Dinh Bac

Perhaps the greatest value that the Nghe An Newspaper Cup brings is the quiet nurturing of football dreams in countless generations of children in Nghe An province. And so, from those innocent young players on the football field years ago, Vietnamese football has gained more strikers whose names are remembered and loved by fans.