Children of Hoang Mai Ward and their aspiration to continue the tradition at the Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television Cup.

Broken wow have a cold touch

After the final match of the 2024 Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament between Hoang Mai and Quy Hop teams, many spectators still vividly remember the image of coach Ho Huu Tien covering his face and bursting into tears right on the field.

It was an outpouring of emotion after a long journey dedicated to grassroots football. Leading Hoang Mai Children's team to victory for the second time in the biggest tournament for children's football in Nghe An province, Coach Ho Huu Tien couldn't hide his feelings.

"Even now, when I recall that moment, I'm still filled with emotion. In my coaching career, seeing the results of my own efforts and the hard work of the players is truly moving. That moment made my career in grassroots football coaching even more meaningful," shared Coach Ho Huu Tien.

Hoang Mai Juniors entered the 2024 tournament without being highly rated. The team did not possess many outstanding players compared to many other traditionally strong competitors.

However, with disciplined play, team spirit, and tenacity in every match, the young players of Hoang Mai created a big surprise and eventually stepped onto the highest podium.

Particularly in the final match against Quy Hop Children's team, Coach Ho Huu Tien's team displayed a courageous fighting spirit. The young players played with high determination, not shying away from physical contact and fighting until the very last minute.

That championship title is even more significant considering that Hoang Mai's youth football team only started participating in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament in 2015.

Over the past 10 years, this team has won the championship twice in the Junior age group, while the Youth team has also finished as runner-up.

From a fledgling amateur football team, Hoang Mai is gradually becoming a name with a strong identity in the most prestigious youth football arena in Nghe An province.

Ready for a new journey

After a one-year hiatus due to the transition to a two-tiered local government model, the Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television Cup Youth Football Tournament 2026 officially returns with high expectations.

This year, Hoang Mai ward is participating in the tournament with two teams: Hoang Mai Ward Children's Team and Hoang Mai Ward Youth Team. As the reigning champions, the Hoang Mai Ward Children's Team is preparing quite thoroughly ahead of the competition.

As soon as they learned that the Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television Cup Youth Football Tournament 2026 would be reorganized, Coach Ho Huu Tien and his colleagues actively recruited players from schools in the area to find the most suitable players. The team also maintained regular training and continuously participated in friendly matches to help the players gain competitive experience.

"We started preparing for this year's tournament quite early. The players have been training regularly and participating in many friendly matches to improve their skills and get used to the pressure of competition," said coach Ho Huu Tien.

Recently, the team has frequently visited Thanh Vinh ward to train and play friendly matches against many strong teams.

Most recently, the Hoang Mai Ward Children's team had a friendly match with the U9 teams of Song Lam Nghe An to assess their strength and refine their tactics.

According to coach Ho Huu Tien, the team's greatest strength this year remains its team spirit. "Hoang Mai's squad this year doesn't have any outstanding players, but the players have a strong sense of unity and great determination," he said.

Over the years, Hoang Mai's youth football program has gradually become a place for discovering and nurturing many young talents in Nghe An football. From the Nghe An Newspaper Cup, many players have matured to wear the jerseys of Song Lam Nghe An and the national youth teams, such as Phung Van Nam, Bach Trong Duong, and goalkeeper Hoang Van Huy. This also further motivates the young players of Hoang Mai before the new season.

Following their emotional championship victory in 2024, the Hoang Mai Ward Children's Team is embarking on a new journey with the aspiration to continue the tradition and contribute beautiful matches to football fans in Nghe An province.