Ho Chi Minh City Football: The sad story of 'yin prevails, yang declines'

Ho Chi Minh City Football 'one foot high, one foot low'

In the Vietnamese football village, there are currently only 3 localities that play both men's and women's football at the same time. They are Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Quang Ninh. However, Ho Chi Minh City is more special, because the football achievements are... low and high, with a huge contrast between men and women.

Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club dominates women's football with 13 national championship titles and 4 national cups. This season, the team coached by Mr. Nguyen Hong Pham participated in the Asian Cup C1 for the first time. Overcoming a series of strong teams, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Team reached the semi-finals. Being in the top 4 strongest women's teams in Asia is a brilliant milestone for Huynh Nhu and her teammates.

Ho Chi Minh City women's team brings pride to Ho Chi Minh City football

PHOTO: KHA HOA

At the recently concluded 2025 National Cup, the Ho Chi Minh City women's team also convincingly returned to the throne, thereby playing the role of defending champion in both of the two biggest tournaments of Vietnamese women's football at present.

However, Ho Chi Minh City football has long only expected the women's team. As for the men's team, since the runner-up position in V-League 2019, Ho Chi Minh City Club has plummeted off the championship track. In the last 3 seasons, there were 2 seasons when the "Red Battleship" struggled to avoid relegation until the final round. After the surprising 4th place last season, coach Phung Thanh Phuong and his team returned to the relegation race.

The lackluster performance and empty stands are a familiar sight for the Ho Chi Minh City men's team. With a 5-point lead over 13th-place Binh Dinh (equivalent to a play-off spot), coach Phung Thanh Phuong's team must work harder for the rest of the season.

Difference in identity

Expert Doan Minh Xuong, Head of the School Football Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation, analyzed with Thanh Nien Newspaper: "Ho Chi Minh City is one of the leading cradles of women's football, with many generations of famous players having grown up here. Currently, we only have 5 localities investing in women's football, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Thai Nguyen and Ha Nam. The competitive nature of women's football is not as good as men's football. Therefore, localities with a football tradition find it easier to maintain their position."

However, this is not the only reason for the "yin prevails, yang declines". Because Ho Chi Minh City men's football also had a glorious time with teams such as Ho Chi Minh City Police, Saigon Port, Customs, Food Industry, training many talented players such as Pham Huynh Tam Lang, Le Huynh Duc, Nguyen Minh Phuong...

However, the Ho Chi Minh City men's team has been on the decline due to lack of direction. Mr. Doan Minh Xuong affirmed: "The Ho Chi Minh City women's club has long been subsidized by the city budget, of course there has been a change now that Mr. Tu (Mr. Tran Anh Tu, Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation and President of the Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation) is interested in investing. Because it receives budget money, the Ho Chi Minh City women's team has a state management orientation, a path, knows how to maintain its identity, and takes advantage of local players.

Ho Chi Minh City men's team (red shirts) is in the bottom half of the V-League rankings.

PHOTO: VPF

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City men's football lacks these factors. Ho Chi Minh City Club is assigned to businesses to manage, but it must be emphasized: the businesses behind the team are not capable enough to lead the team in the right direction. Ho Chi Minh City Club lacks money, training equipment and also has no long-term strategy. The state management role in this team is unclear. Ho Chi Minh City Club does not have a local identity, and youth training is also not good. On the contrary, teams backed by strong businesses such as Hanoi Club or The Cong Viettel are at a different level. They have money, direction and a very clear identity, different from Ho Chi Minh City Club."

While the local character and Saigon "essence" of the HCMC Women's Club are very special (which creates a strong bond through many generations), the HCMC Men's Team is loose. The HCMC Club needs a clearer directional mark from the government, more connection with the locality and a strong business behind it to find a strategy, no longer "eating by the book" season by season.

Only then, Ho Chi Minh City football can develop strongly in both men's and women's football.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bong-da-tphcm-dang-buon-chuyen-am-thinh-duong-suy-185250416105805795.htm