Football and Vietnamese football culture
(Baonghean.vn) - All the streets are bright with red flags with yellow stars, as enthusiastic as possible in the joy of victory, the Vietnamese people have created a culture of loving football that not everyone can do, and from there evoke a story about the bravery and belief in the ability to conquer the heights of the Vietnamese people.
From taking to the streets to celebrate victory
Perhaps there is no need to say more about the joy of the Vietnamese people after a few days of our U23 team convincingly defeating U23 Qatar, for the first time holding our heads high and entering the final of a continental football tournament.
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| For the first time, U23 Vietnam held their heads high as they entered the final of a continental football tournament. Photo: Internet |
Looking at the images and clips posted in the press and social networks over the past few days, it is unbelievable that we could have such a spectacular victory. Millions of Vietnamese people put all their faith in the match of U23 Vietnam on the afternoon of January 23 and they burst into joy when their team won. Young and old, men and women, all poured into the streets, cheering for victory with everything they had. The big cities, all the roads leading to the center were red with the red flag with yellow star and cheering until late at night.
From the victory over U23 Australia to U23 Syria, then overcoming U23 Iraq, U23 Qatar to confidently enter the final match, our U23 team has made millions of Vietnamese hearts in the country as well as around the world beat together. Football is no longer a game, a king sport, but has truly become a story about national pride, a pride when the image of the national flag flutters in the international arena.
Coach Park Hang Seo happily called his students "warriors". Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc did not have time to write a letter like after the victory over U23 Iraq, but immediately called to congratulate Coach Park Hang Seo and his students! Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam also took to the streets on a motorbike, celebrating the success of the young players... Domestic newspapers these days have reserved the most prominent positions for news and images about football, social networks are red with the flag.
The whole country was elated with the victory of U23 Vietnam. Without the desire to win, without national pride, the Vietnamese people would not do that!
Even booking flights to cheer on the home team
Information that travel companies such as Fiditour, Viettravel, Vitour, Du lich Viet... quickly organized tours to bring customers to Changzhou to cheer for the U23 Vietnam players in the final match with Uzbekistan once again ignited the love of football of Vietnamese people.
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| There will be about 5,000 fans coming to Changzhou Stadium to cheer for U23 Vietnam. Photo: Internet |
In just a few days, almost all tours to Changzhou were fully booked. Road, air, direct flights, connecting flights... all kinds of ways to go to Jiangsu to cheer for football. Everyone wanted to see the kids compete on the field with their own eyes; everyone wanted their cheers to contribute a small part to the strength to help the kids overcome and win.
Although the tour price is quite high, nearly 20 million VND/person (if you go early), nearly 25 million VND/person for the round-trip tour on January 27, including airfare, football match tickets, meals and visa fees, 800 seats for 3 flights departing from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang are all full. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air both had to ask for additional flights to meet the demand of U23 Vietnam fans.
Time is tight, visas are difficult to get, some people have to fly in circles along the route Hanoi - Shanghai - Bangkok/Kuala Lumpur/Singapore - Hanoi, accepting a 72-hour transit, combining cheering for football with traveling to Thailand, Singapore or Malaysia before returning.
On the evening of January 25, Mr. Le Hoai Anh - General Secretary of the Vietnam Football Federation said that about 5,000 fans came to Changzhou Stadium to cheer for U23 Vietnam.
And the lesson about Vietnamese people's bravery
To achieve today's success, Mr. Park Hang Seo had to go through many positions: from assistant head coach of the Korean national team to head coach of the Korean U23 team, with many successes and many failures. But even before the ball rolled, he declared: the Vietnamese U23 team was not participating for fun and would certainly create a surprise. With what happened, this Korean coach has truly become the soul of the team.
Knowing himself and his opponent, having a reasonable strategy for each opponent, U23 Vietnam under the command of Mr. Park has achieved a miraculous victory. In the two matches against two big opponents, Iraq and Qatar, he has proven the accuracy of his command.
Maintaining spirit, courage and bravery are what the warriors of Coach Park Hang Seo have shown in this tournament. In the face of difficulties (sometimes being oppressed), the U23 Vietnam team calmly overcame everything to win.
Careful preparation, good physical strength, and strict discipline are also valuable lessons that this dramatic and joyful sports story brings to many people. That is, "the human factor always determines success or failure".
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| Thanh Vinh was glowing red celebrating the victory of U23 Vietnam to enter the 2018 U23 Asian Finals. Photo: Archive |
On the afternoon of January 27, tens of millions of Vietnamese football fans had thrilling moments, holding their breath following every pass of the U23 Vietnam players in the final match against U23 Uzbekistan at Changzhou Stadium - Jiangsu - China.
Although we know that we are facing a really strong team, it is extremely difficult, but if we look at the recent victories, it is clear that football has connected and spread the national spirit, creating an unshakable solidarity, like the precious spiritual values of the Vietnamese tradition, we have the right to be optimistic and believe in the spirit of playing with all our hearts, the ability to overcome everything of the players.
We have the right to believe in a victory, even though to do so is an extremely big challenge for U23 Vietnam./.