The unfortunate fate of the number 13 shirt at SLNA

According to SLNA’s registration list for this season, shirts from number 1 to number 22 are all owned, except for number 13 which is empty. It seems that coach Ngo Quang Truong’s students are not interested in number 13 because they don’t like it or because they are afraid of bad luck.

Indeed, the “shorts, numbered shirt” career always faces high risks, so it is completely understandable that players choose to follow the motto “better safe than sorry”. Don’t forget, European players rarely choose the number 13 shirt, except for famous players like Gerd Muller, Thomas Muller (Germany) or Alessandro Nesta (Italy).

Former midfielder Nguyen Van Vinh is the most recent owner of the number 13 shirt at SLNA. Photo courtesy

Throughout the history of SLNA, the number of players who have worn the number 13 shirt can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The first notable face to wear the number 13 shirt of the Nghe An team was central midfielder Nguyen Van Dung (the real brother of coach Nguyen Van Tien, currently leading U19 SLNA in the 2020 National U19 qualifying round), a player who played in the late 80s - early 90s of the last century.

The next person to wear the number 13 shirt of SLNA, more famous than former midfielder Nguyen Van Dung, is left-back Truong Dac Khanh, a face of the same generation as Nguyen Trong Hoang, Hoang Van Binh, Au Van Hoan... Unfortunately, the former U23 Vietnam player (in 2009) lost his career due to his passion for gambling. In 2010, the defender from Quynh Luu had to say goodbye to his football career at the age of 23 (fired by SLNA).

Former left-back Truong Dac Khanh when he played for SLNA. Photo: SLNA FC

After Truong Dac Khanh left Vinh Stadium, SLNA's No. 13 jersey was gradually forgotten by Nghe An football fans. It was not until the 2015 season, with the return of "old man" Nguyen Van Vinh from Quang Nam Club, that the No. 13 jersey appeared regularly in the SLNA squad. In that season, the former U16 Vietnam midfielder (2000) played 8 times for the Nghe An team.

In the following season (2016 season), the number 13 shirt was still owned by Nguyen Van Vinh. However, entering the 2017 season, the former midfielder born in 1984 suddenly abandoned the familiar number 13 shirt to wear the number 7 shirt, once famous by Nguyen Phi Hung and Ngo Hoang Thinh. Once again, the number 13 was not printed on the back of the Vinh home team's jersey. Since then, the number 13 shirt of the Nghe An team has not found its owner.

The fate of the number 13 shirt at SLNA is really miserable!