Determining the final team to participate in AFF Cup 2024; Rafaelson was emotional on the day of receiving Vietnamese citizenship

Determining the final team participating in AFF Cup 2024

Winning 1-0 on aggregate after 2 matches, Timor Leste won the last ticket to the AFF Cup 2024. They returned to the Southeast Asian arena after a season of absence.

Group A includes Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia and Timor Leste. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team are in Group B with Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar and Laos.

The AFF Cup officially kicks off in mid-December. The Vietnamese team will not play FIFA Days matches in November. Instead, the V.League will have additional rounds. Coach Kim Sang-sik proposed this plan and he will have about 2 weeks to focus on preparing for the number 1 tournament in Southeast Asia.

In the 2024 AFF Cup group stage, each team will play two home matches and two away matches. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will play at home against Indonesia - considered the toughest opponent in the group. The group winners and runners-up will advance to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals and finals, the teams will play two knockout matches. The AFF Cup does not have a third-place match.

Australia ended Japan's nine-match winning streak

On the evening of October 15, Australia held host Japan to a 1-1 draw in the fourth match of Group C of the 3rd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup, with both goals coming from own goals.

Before this match, the Japanese team showed extremely impressive form when they won all 9 matches, including 6 matches of the 2nd qualifying round and the first 3 matches of the 3rd qualifying round. World Cup 2026.

Not only did they win all 3 points in 9 matches, the team from the Land of the Rising Sun also did not concede any goals, while scoring 38 goals in 9 matches.

However, on the evening of October 15, Australia broke Japan's winning streak with a 1-1 draw away from home.

Both goals in the match came from own goals. Taniguchi scored for Australia in the 58th minute, before Cameron did the same for Japan in the 78th minute.

With the first draw in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Japan still maintains the top position in Group C of the third qualifying round with 10 points/4 matches, followed by Australia (5 points/4 matches). Saudi Arabia and Bahrain both have 4 points/3 matches, before playing the late match. Indonesia and China are at the bottom with 3 points/4 matches.

MU stops paying ambassador salary to Sir Alex Ferguson

MU leaders decided not to continue paying former coach Sir Alex Ferguson a salary of more than 2 million pounds per year.

Red Devils co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe approved cost-cutting plans by removing Sir Alex Ferguson from his ambassadorial role.

The former Scottish coach will continue to serve as a non-executive member of the board of directors. He will also be welcome at MU matches.

At the age of 82, Sir Alex has won 38 titles with MU, including 13 Premier League titles and 2 Champions League titles.

Just five months after leaving the coaching position in 2013, Sir Alex signed an agreement to become MU's global ambassador, earning a salary of 2.16 million pounds per year.

Now the contract will end, meaning Sir Alex will no longer be an ambassador for MU. This is a decision by consensus between both parties.

Rafaelson was emotional on the day he received Vietnamese citizenship.

Striker Rafaelson of Nam Dinh Steel Club officially received Vietnamese nationality.

On the afternoon of October 15, the Department of Justice of Nam Dinh province presented the Decision on Vietnamese citizenship to striker Rafaelson. After receiving the Decision, Rafaelson emotionally said: “My whole family is living in Vietnam. For me, this is my second homeland. I am truly happy to become a Vietnamese citizen. I would like to thank General Secretary and President To Lam, leaders of Vietnamese agencies, ministries, and branches, Nam Dinh province, and Nam Dinh Green Steel Club for supporting me to make my dream come true. I promise to strictly comply with the provisions of Vietnamese law and do my best to contribute to Vietnamese football.”

Striker Rafaelson, born in 1997 in Brazil, started playing football in Vietnam in 2020. After meeting all the requirements, Rafaelson was supported by the Nam Dinh Steel Club in the procedures to acquire Vietnamese citizenship before the 2024/2025 season. On September 20, 2024, General Secretary and President To Lam signed a decision to acquire Vietnamese citizenship for Rafaelson. Rafaelson will be named Nguyen Xuan Son.

Rafaelson is known as the top scorer in V.League. In V-League 2023/2024, Rafaelson won the "Top scorer" with 31 goals, contributing greatly to helping Nam Dinh Blue Steel win the championship. After fulfilling his dream of obtaining Vietnamese citizenship, Rafaelson hopes to wear the shirtDVietnam National Football Team.

Thanh Thuy