Dang Van Lam and the hopes for the new season.

Dang Van Lam has recovered and returned to training with SLNA. Photo: Duc Anh

The journey towards achieving dreams.

Dang Van LamLam is a player born in Do Luong. Born in 1999, he has had a passion for football since he was very young. “I remember in 2008, I watched the Vietnamese national team play and win the Southeast Asian championship. Through that tournament, I dreamed of one day becoming a professional player and a member of the Vietnamese national team. That dream has haunted me even in my sleep,” Lam recounted.

Lam nurtured that passion through the football matches he played with the other children in the village. Back then, Lam was considered a prodigy on the local team. The player from Do Luong always created beautiful and captivating dribbling moves. Therefore, whenever Lam was on the field, he would receive endless applause from the older men in the village.

With a burning passion for the king of sports, Lam asked his father for permission to participate in the Youth and Children's Football Tournament.Nghe An Newspaper Cup“That day, I asked my father if I could go to the district to participate in the Newspaper Cup. He said, ‘Just bring all the rice from the field to the yard, then you can go wherever you want.’ I knew my father wasn’t keen on me participating, but because of my passion, I was determined to go. After bringing all the rice home, I cycled to the district. The distance from my house to the recruitment location was very far, more than 14 km. But when I reached the end of the village, I was lucky to meet my uncle on the way, and he gave me a ride to the district on his motorbike, so I made it in time to participate,” Lam recounted.

Participating in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament that year, Dang Van Lam was the heart of the Do Luong team's midfield, leading his team to the final. Although they lost to Tan Ky Children's team in the final match, the player born in 1999 left a strong impression on the experts and scouts of the academy.SLNAThey assessed Lam as a player with innate talent and called him to join the club from Nghe An province.

Wearing the jerseys of SLNA's youth teams back then, the name Dang Van Lam was always mentioned as a second Khac Ngoc of Nghe An football. With his highly technical playing style, the player born in 1999 was always considered the orchestrator of SLNA's youth teams.

With the impressive performances Lam had shown at youth tournaments while playing for SLNA, the midfielder from Do Luong was called up to the Vietnam U18 national team. Out of 30 players initially selected, the coaching staff narrowed it down to 20 who would go to South Korea, including Dang Van Lam. Lam recounted: “My father called me and said, ‘I’m very happy and proud of you for going. Try your best to bring success to the country, to yourself, and to your family.’ His words gave me the strength to persevere in training and try harder in competitions. Whatever I do, I always think of my father and my family; that’s the motivation that keeps me working hard.”

While in South Korea participating in the tournament, Lam always gave his best and was considered a promising player in Vietnamese football. Unfortunately, the player from Do Luong later suffered a serious injury and had to take a year off from playing.

Lam shared: “The injury sometimes made me despair. Many players who had suffered similar injuries advised me to go to Singapore for surgery. The cost of surgery there was up to 800 million VND, a huge amount for a young player like me. I called home and my parents said, 'You decide your own future. If we have to sell the house or land, we will support you so you can continue pursuing your dream.' But luckily, the doctors advised me to persevere with treatment in Vietnam. After a year, my injury has recovered.”

Looking forward to Lam's return in the new season.

Dang Van Lam is actively training to regain his form as soon as possible. Photo: Duc Anh

After his senior teammates Khac Ngoc and Van Binh left SLNA, Dang Van Lam was called back by coach Quang Truong to strengthen the team's midfield. Lam, along with Bui Dinh Chau, were the two central midfielders for the Nghe An team in the 2020 season. The player born in 1999 played with great effort and made a strong impression that season. Lam's role as the orchestrator of SLNA somewhat eased the fans' longing for Khac Ngoc.

In particular, in the match against Hanoi, the player from Do Luong played brilliantly. Almost all of the yellow-shirted team's attacks went through Lam's feet. Facing the reigning champions at Hang Day Stadium, Dang Van Lam didn't seem overwhelmed, but instead showcased the "spirit" that is the trademark of SLNA, along with his smooth and flexible ball handling.

Lam's moment of brilliance in that match was his spectacular long-range shot that beat the Hanoi goalkeeper, securing an incredible victory for SLNA. That goal ignited a frenzy among the yellow-clad fans in the stands at Hang Day Stadium. Lam recalled: “That goal boosted my confidence and relieved the pressure of participating in the V.League for the first time. On the way home, I kept receiving congratulatory messages from everyone; it was an indescribable feeling. Every five minutes or so, I would open my phone to rewatch the goal. I couldn't sleep all night because of the happiness and joy.”

Unfortunately for Dang Van Lam, in the match against HAGL in the 12th round of the V.League 2020, Lam suffered a serious injury. This injury once again sidelined the midfielder from Do Luong for over a year. Now, the 1999-born player has fully recovered and is training with SLNA for the new season. Lam has been working hard in training lately. He shared: “Returning after an injury, a player faces many challenges. Among them, physical fitness, getting used to the feel of the ball, and integrating into the team's playing style are the most difficult things for me. But I will try to persevere in training and I believe I will soon return to my best form.”

Duc Anh