Phan Thanh Vân: The journey to professionalism from an amateur football player

Rising from amateur football, returning to amateur football.

I met Mr. Vân one afternoon at his cafe on Nguyễn Tiến Tài Street (Vinh City). He was greeting customers in his suit.footballThe atmosphere in his cafe was simple, reflecting the unpretentious style of the club he played for. Two large televisions were showing a match from the Southeast Asian U19 Championship. Most of the customers were regulars who shared a passion for football; many had even played football with Van nearly 30 years ago – back when he was a barefoot, bareheaded seventh-grade boy chasing a ball on the dusty pitch of the Provincial Labor Culture Center.

“Everyone in my family loves football, from my parents to my two older sisters. My father was even a player for the Provincial Team, even though he was just a factory worker. But it was precisely because they loved and understood football that they didn't want me to follow this path. Witnessing many negative stories outside the football field, they feared I wouldn't have the strength of character to avoid them,” Vân recalled.

So, despite being praised by many for his football skills, young Van never set foot in any training centers or academies, instead playing football with older boys, some a decade his senior, on amateur pitches. This continued until Van was in 11th grade. One time, while accompanying his friends from the neighborhood to a tryout at the Song Lam Nghe An Youth Football Training Center, Van caught the attention of the coaches and became the only boy from the neighborhood to be selected.

Phan Thanh Vân in his early years with the Military Region 4 football team. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

At this point, Mr. Van laughed as he recalled his childhood feelings: "Of course, I was very happy and surprised, but above all, I was worried. Because I knew for sure that my parents would never agree to let me follow them."professional football.So I decided to keep it a secret and secretly sneak away from my parents to practice. For a whole month afterward, every afternoon I would stuff my clothes into my bag and lie to my parents, saying I was going to extra classes. At the center, I would change into my new clothes and practice with the instructor and my teammates. In the evenings, after class, I would run out to the field to play with my teammates until it was completely dark before I dared go home. I came home late to avoid my parents noticing my clothes. I stuffed all my practice clothes under the bed. I would wait until everyone in the house went to sleep before taking them to the well behind the house to wash them. Sunny days were manageable, but rainy days were incredibly difficult.”

This secret routine repeated itself for about a month, until Van's parents found out. Although the teacher from the center came to their house to ask for permission, his parents remained steadfast in their desire for Van to enter the disciplined environment of the military for training. “I never thought I would join the army, just like how my parents insisted I should never become a football player. But somehow, those two extremes met. After graduating from high school, I failed to get into the Hanoi University of Physical Education and Sports. In August 2000, while I didn't know what to do, I saw that the Military Region 4 amateur football team was recruiting, so I registered, and my parents supported me. Unintentionally, I became a soldier who played football,” Van said humorously.

Although he has played for many teams, the Military Region 4 team is still the one that Van feels most attached to. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

After playing for two months, the Military Region 4 amateur football team was promoted to the Third Division. By the end of 2001, the team had moved up from the Third Division to the Second Division. In 2006, the team was promoted to the First Division, and by the end of 2008, it was recognized as a professional football team. The joy was short-lived; while enjoying a professional team with a "family" atmosphere, where the players were close and united both on and off the field, in late 2009, after the Military Region 4 team was sold, Van became a player for Navibank Saigon, holding the position of captain.

The following five years were a very difficult journey for Van. At the end of 2010, he played for Hoa Phat Hanoi. In 2011, he was transferred to Hanoi ACB. In 2013, he returned to play for Dong Nai Football Club. In 2014, he returned to Quang Nam, then in 2015 he moved to Saigon to play in the First Division before retiring shortly after. “At that time, I was already 34 or 35 years old, and my knee was injured. Moreover, my mother suffered a serious illness. For over a year, I was constantly traveling back and forth to treat her.”Vinh - Saigon"I constantly realized that I was spending too little time with my family. I used to wish I would quit professional football to become a coach or a manager, but then my mother's passing made me realize that I needed to become a good father, a good son, and a good husband in my own family first," Van confided.

Mr. Thanh Vân during his time as captain of the Navibank Saigon team. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Very different insights

With all their savings, Mr. Van and his wife bought a small plot of land and opened a football-themed cafe, both to satisfy their passion and to make ends meet. Returning to his family, his friends, his older brothers from his youth, and the amateur football field, Mr. Van found simple joys that he had unknowingly missed for so long.

Van's team has won top prizes in many amateur football tournaments. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

From his football career, Mr. Van has some very interesting views and perspectives on amateur and professional football. Accordingly, the former captain of Navibank Saigon believes that,amateur footballThere are elements that are absent in professional football. “Having risen from street football and matured through amateur leagues, I absolutely love the ‘passion’ of this non-professional football environment. It may lack formality and precision, but it’s an environment where players can best express their personality, creativity, and quick thinking. If teenagers and young children are exposed to and honed in this environment, they will be able to maximize their potential when they reach professionalism. Conversely, if a player moves from a professional environment to amateur football, there will be a certain degree of ‘restraining,’ limiting their unique qualities,” said Mr. Vân.

Sharing about the amateur football club he plays for, Mr. Van proudly said: "The youth team from back then has now grown into veterans in their 50s and 60s, but everyone is still close and loves each other very much. From amateur football, I have older brothers who are always sincere in guiding and advising, and younger brothers who are always enthusiastic, lively, and carefree. Recently, as amateur football leagues have become increasingly commercialized, focusing heavily on achievements, brand promotion, and even the abuse of hiring outside players, we are no longer as enthusiastic about playing in tournaments. What we enjoy most are still friendly matches just to satisfy our passion for each other."

Thanh Vân (in the striped shirt) gives his all in an amateur tournament match. Photo: Xuân Thuỷ

Commenting on Phan Thanh Vân, Mr. Nguyen Cong Chat - a regular customer of Vân and also a well-known Song Lam Nghe An fan - said: "Vân is a good football player, talented, passionate, and determined to succeed, but what I value most about him is his moral character. Because of Vân's sincere, straightforward, and kind nature, since he opened his shop, I haven't gone to any other shop."