Nguyen The Anh - a multi-talented goalkeeper

(Baonghean) - Nghe An is the cradle that has produced many excellent goalkeepers for Vietnamese football, and also the place that has witnessed many successful individuals in the business world. However, considering everything, few can surpass former goalkeeper Nguyen The Anh - who is currently the goalkeeping coach for the Vietnam U16 and U22 national teams.

As the only son in a well-educated family in Vinh City, Nguyen The Anh surprised his parents when he applied to and joined the youth football class of the Military Region 4 Club. At that time, The Anh had just finished 11th grade, and his family had no intention of him pursuing a career in football. It took a great deal of effort to get his parents' signatures so that his football training could proceed smoothly.

He trained as a forward at Military Region 4, but just a year later, everything took a 180-degree turn when he became a professional goalkeeper. Coincidentally, during the 1999 All-Army Tournament, all three goalkeepers were unavailable. In this shortfall, seeing that The Anh was tall and good-looking, the coach readily gave him a pair of gloves to try out. Even more surprisingly, after only six months of filling in as a goalkeeper, The Anh played exceptionally well, transforming from an impromptu custodian into the team's first-choice goalkeeper.

In 2000, Nguyen The Anh won the Best Goalkeeper award at the U21 tournament. (Illustrative image)

Having gradually proven his talent at Military Region 4, in 2000, this player born in 1981 was recruited by SLNA, and The Anh's first successes came from there. After winning the U18 championship in 1999 with players like Huy Hoang, Minh Duc, etc., at the age of 20, The Anh became a V.League champion in the 2000-2001 season and subsequently won the Best Goalkeeper award at the U21 tournament in 2000 when he and the U21 SLNA team convincingly triumphed.

After a year of training at LG. HNACB on loan, The Anh returned to his hometown team and played a leading role in the 2002-2003 season. He was called up by coach Calisto to the national team to participate in the 2002 Tiger Cup. However, it wasn't until the 2003 LG Cup and the 22nd SEA Games (2003) that goalkeeper The Anh's name began to be known to Vietnamese football fans under coach Alfred Riedl.

Once a prolific goalscorer with excellent footwork, Thế Anh transitioned to honing his skills with his hands when he became a goalkeeper, making him a well-rounded player. At that time, his football career was soaring. Rising from the unforgettable "accident" in the 2003 SEA Games semi-final against Malaysia, where the ball bounced over his head, and facing subsequent adversity at the East Asian Championship, Thế Anh didn't easily lose his way. Instead, those experiences only made the goalkeeper from Nghe An province stronger and more resilient.

With multi-million dollar contracts, skyrocketing salaries and bonuses, and championships with B. Binh Duong, The Anh became a "billionaire" among Vietnamese footballers. Not only did he prove his talent, his role in goal, and his influence on his teammates, but The Anh also showed great business acumen. While still a player, The Anh invested all his capital in the first artificial turf rental fields in Vinh City and Binh Duong.

The happy family of The Anh. Photo: Provided by the subject.

Anticipating market demand, The Anh was among the first Vietnamese players to pioneer and lay the foundation for this emerging field. His 1,000m² artificial turf field in Binh Duong and a cluster of artificial turf fields in Vinh provide a high and stable income. Not stopping at the artificial turf business, as his ventures prospered, The Anh became the owner of a chain of fast-food restaurants in the South. With two adorable sons and a loving wife, The Anh is living a fulfilling life that many players dream of.

As a successful player and businessman, both on and off the field, The Anh never forgot his studies. From his playing days until his retirement with XSKT Can Tho at the end of the 2015 season, the former national team goalkeeper managed to complete the highest coaching certifications from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), including a goalkeeping coach certificate. He also graduated from the University of Physical Education and Sports II with impressive results.

Nguyen The Anh (in black attire) in his role as goalkeeping coach. Photo: Provided by the subject.

Therefore, it is not surprising that shortly after retiring from his playing career, in 2016, Nguyen The Anh was trusted by his colleagues to be promoted to goalkeeping coach for the Vietnam U16 team, and now for the Vietnam U22 team.

Now that he has achieved almost everything, The Anh can dedicate all his energy to coaching and continue living his passion. Along with the generation of Duong Hong Son, Nguyen Minh Duc, Le Cong Vinh... goalkeeper Nguyen The Anh is a role model for young players to emulate and learn from.

Trung Kien