U23 Vietnam - Don't just welcome them when they succeed

Who is there for them when they fail and are in pain?

At the end of August 2017, after Vietnam's defeat in the group stage of the 29th SEA Games, in a clip answering the press, captain Xuan Truong courageously affirmed that the U23 team is a clean and united team. He defended his teammates such as Van Thanh, Cong Phuong, Phi Minh Long... Needless to say, that clip was cursed by many fans.

Amidst the white snow, the U23 players wrote a wonderful epic. Photo: AFC

There are people commenting right below the video above saying:"Oh those weak players". Goodothers wrote:"We should just go back to the countryside to grow vegetables and raise ducks..."The more indifferent asked:"Who is Xuan Truong, who is Van Thanh"...

At that time, one day on Instagram, I accidentally saw Xuan Truong post a short clip in the story section (it will automatically disappear during the day and not appear on the wall). The clip lasted nearly 1 minute and only recorded one scene: The space outside the car was empty and endless.

Perhaps, that was Truong's mood at that time. He did not know what his future would be like after spending a long time playing as a reserve player at Gangwon FC, then continuing to suffer bitter defeats in the national team. Watching the clip over and over again, he felt extremely heartbroken but did not know what to do.

Just 5 months later, things have changed a lot. These days, they have become national heroes. People honor them at roadside tea shops, in classrooms, on stage, on television...

Luckily, none of the players had time to herd ducks or chickens. They were still alive, still continuing their dream with perseverance and effort.

Sometimes, when I think back to those days, I think that if Vietnam had been luckier in the match against Indonesia and Cong Phuong had not missed the penalty kick in the match against Thailand, everything would have been different. But perhaps that was also the arrangement of history, thanks to which we have Park Hang Seo - a good coach, and a U23 team that is more resilient, stable and well-organized.

How long will it be before we can live in days full of flags and flowers like this again?

The fact that U23 Vietnam won the runner-up position in the continental tournament has sparked big dreams for many fans. But in fact, this is just the beginning. In this tournament, some countries did not field their strongest squad because they could not call up players from foreign clubs, some countries sent young players with the goal of winning a ticket to the Olympics in 2 years.

We enter the matches still in a 50/50 position. And just a little bit of bad luck, failure will come again!

Football is like that, form and luck depend on each tournament. I just hope that our team will progress step by step after this achievement and that the fans will be patient, loving and trusting them. If tomorrow they stumble but fight strongly and cleanly, no one should compare and belittle them.

Don't be around them just when they succeed!

Be there for them in times of pain and failure, because in sports, anything can happen. That is when they need the comfort and encouragement of fans.

Stories of people from the "lowlands"

Vietnam came to the continental tournament when Southeast Asian football was always underestimated. Then, they made fans in this region happy, moved to tears when they erased long-standing prejudices. The fight of people from the "lowlands" of football is the most inspiring story on Asian social networks in the past few days.

It affirms that as long as we have fighting spirit, as long as we have high determination, nothing is impossible.

Clip of Xuan Truong answering international reporters in English ignites faith in many people about a new generation of Vietnam: Confident, humble and civilized. Photo: IT

Look at how wonderful and resilient Bui Tien Dung was after days of hard work carrying mortar and building houses. Look at how Luong Xuan Truong, a player from the mountainous province of Tuyen Quang (who only learned English when he was 10 years old, when he started training at HAGL) confidently answered the international media, while his teammates and other players from Japan and Korea all needed an interpreter.

And there are Muong ethnic players like Duc Chinh, Tien Dung and Tien Dung..., they prove that every advantage is just the beginning, having a low starting point is nothing to be afraid of, being an ethnic minority is also okay.

They, without being told, sent out a strong message:Don't be self-conscious when your family is not rich, your job is not prestigious or your education is not good. As long as you still have a dream, then you still have hope.

Let them live like young people...

Right after the semi-final, many famous artists and writers on social media gave advice to the young players. They told them to live this way and that way, not to get involved with long-legged girls and bad girls in showbiz.

I think differently, why should it be?

Let them live true to their youth, with their thoughts and heartbeats. Wasn't Thuy Tien also labeled a bad girl before she fell in love with Cong Vinh? How did Miley Cyrus change when she fell in love with Liam Hemsworth? Showbiz is not all bad gossip. There are also many obedient and progressive people. You have every right to choose and find yourself a perfect person to be with!!!

Just live, life is full of lessons, there will be mistakes, as long as we live kindly and strongly like warriors - brave men - that's enough.

Ma Kin