Sport

Fans were moved to hear Xuan Manh's mother tell the story of selling a buffalo to buy shoes for her son.

Duc Anh - Thanh Quynh DNUM_BEZABZCACF 13:23

Nghe An fans had the chance to meet, interact and have many emotional moments at the program "Interaction with National Player Pham Xuan Manh and Nghe An fans".

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The program took place in Vinh city organized by the Provincial Youth Union, the Vietnam Youth Union, the Provincial Department of Culture and Sports, the Provincial Young Entrepreneurs Association in coordination with Nghe An Radio and Television Station. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Mother of player Xuan Manh: "Try to stay and practice, when you come home you only eat rice and pickles!"

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Ms. Phan Thi Ha - Mother of player Pham Xuan Manh. Photo: Duc Anh

“You try to stay and practice, when you come home you only eat rice and pickles!”

Ms. Phan Thi Ha - Mother of player Pham Xuan Manh shared at the program

At the exchange program, meet withNational player Pham Xuan ManhFans were moved by the honest and sincere sharing of Mrs. Phan Thi Ha - mother of player Pham Xuan Manh.

Accordingly, at the age of 12, Pham Xuan Manh left his family to go to Vinh city to train at the Nghe An youth football training center. Unable to stop missing his home and his parents, Pham Xuan Manh called home and burst into tears, asking his mother to let him return. Seeing his son crying, Pham Xuan Manh's mother encouraged him: "Try to stay and practice, listen to the coach and try your best to compete. When you come home to me, you will only have rice and pickles, nothing else."

Hearing his mother's words of encouragement, Pham Xuan Manh regained his spirit, tried his best to practice and compete during the following period.

At the age of 17, before an important match but his shoes were broken after a long time of practice, Pham Xuan Manh had to call his mother to "ask for a pair of shoes to compete".

Emotional moments of interaction between player Pham Xuan Manh and fans at the show. Clip: Duc Anh - Thanh Quynh

Before the call, Xuan Manh also felt extremely guilty when he understood that his family was too poor to help him do that. However, when listening to his sharing, Pham Xuan Manh's parents encouraged their son to be steadfast. Then, they did not hesitate to sell the buffalo - the family's biggest asset at that time. With the money from selling the buffalo, which was 8 million VND, Pham Xuan Manh's parents sent 5 million VND to their son, and the remaining 3 million VND to buy a calf. When the season came, the buffalo was too young to plow, so the villagers felt sorry for him so they took turns lending the buffalo to Xuan Manh's parents before each harvest season.

Recalling that difficult time, the mother of player Pham Xuan Manh shared: “At that time, I encouraged my husband, if he lets his child pursue a football career, then shoes are his second pair of legs, even if we have to sell our buffalo, we must sell them for him to practice!".

Later, when Pham Xuan Manh learned that his parents had to sell their buffaloes for him to buy training shoes, he was very moved and considered it a motivation for him to try harder on his career path associated with football.

Supporter Nguyen Cong Chat (Vinh city) – “There is no greater happiness than seeing the ball of the Vietnamese team roll into the opponent’s goal!”

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Supporter Nguyen Cong Chat (Vinh city, Nghe An) at the exchange program. Photo: Duc Anh

“There is no greater happiness than seeing the ball of the Vietnamese team roll into the opponent's goal!”

As a long-time fan of the Song Lam Nghe An team and also a person who has a great love for player Pham Xuan Manh, at the exchange program, Mr. Nguyen Cong Chat shared: “Before the first leg final match between the Vietnam team and the Thailand team at the Asean Cup 2024, I was very moved when I learned that the only player from Nghe An participating in the Vietnam team was Pham Xuan Manh. At that time, I called my son to ask him: no matter how expensive and difficult it is, I must buy a ticket to watch this match for my father. I have faith that our team will win and cannot miss this important match."

Mr. Nguyen Cong Chat's belief has become a reality when the Vietnamese team in general and player Nguyen Xuan Manh in particular had excellent playing minutes, convincingly winning against their opponents.

Witnessing those proud moments, Mr. Nguyen Cong Chat shared: "There is no greater happiness than seeing the ball of the Vietnamese team roll into the opponent's goal!".

Player Pham Xuan Manh: "Passion and hard work are the most important factors for success!"

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Player Pham Xuan Manh shares with fans at the show. Photo: Duc Anh

“Passion and hard work are the most important factors for success!”

At the program to meet and greet with Nghe An fans, many audiences sent the question to player Pham Xuan Manh: What made him - a poor boy attached to the village football field - shine and achieve many important achievements in major national and regional tournaments?

In response to this question, Pham Xuan Manh said that there is no factor more important than diligence. Diligence in training, diligence in thinking, diligence in learning. For himself, Pham Xuan Manh said that his day can be summarized in 8 words: "Eat football, sleep football", which means that every day that passes, he devotes all his heart to football.

When asked if there is an opportunity and “fate”, would Pham Xuan Manh want to work with the Song Lam Nghe An team again in the future? Pham Xuan Manh affirmed: All Nghe An players in general, and myself in particular, want to contribute to Nghe An football, because Song Lam Nghe An has nurtured me since I was a child, has given me knowledge and motivation to grow up. If there is an opportunity and “fate”, I will return to contribute to my hometown team”.

Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, President of the Nghe An Youth Union Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy: "Nghe An youth strive to become the best version to contribute to the Fatherland"

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Provincial Youth Union Secretary Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy presented a Certificate of Merit to athlete Pham Xuan Manh. Photo: Duc Anh

"Nghe An youth strive to become the best version to contribute to the Fatherland".

Through the program, the Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union and Chairman of the Provincial Youth Union affirmed that the sharing of player Pham Xuan Manh and his relatives conveyed many meaningful messages to fans in general and Nghe An youth in particular.

Through that, the message of striving in studying and training to become the best version of oneself has been spread. From there, one can build goals, plans and make efforts to contribute to one's homeland and country in the field one pursues.

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Fans and relatives of player Pham Xuan Manh at the program. Photo: Duc Anh

National team player Pham Xuan Manh was born in Minh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district. The defender born in 1996 performed well at the Asean Cup in the coach Kim Sang-sik's team.
Statistics at the 2024 ASEAN Cup show that Xuan Manh played 6 matches with 531 minutes on the field. In the first and second leg of the finals, Xuan Manh showed excellent performance, thereby contributing greatly to helping the Vietnamese team win the ASEAN Cup for the third time.

Duc Anh - Thanh Quynh