Footballer Duy Manh and his proud footsteps on Ba Dinh Square

VHO - In the memories of Vietnamese football fans, the image of talented central defender Nguyen Duy Manh kneeling down to plant the red flag with a yellow star on a snow-covered stadium in Changzhou in 2018 has become an immortal symbol.

At that time, despite the bitter cold, the young midfielder still steadfastly planted the national flag on the ice and snow, affirming the national pride, aspiration and indomitable spirit of an entire generation of players.

Duy Manh is happy to be present in the Cultural - Sports parade block.

Seven years later, Duy Manh once again walked in a very sacred moment: marching on the historic Ba Dinh Square during the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, September 2.

If Thuong Chau is the memory of fighting in a historic football match, then Ba Dinh today is the memory of faith and the continuation of an immortal tradition. For Duy Manh, that is a great happiness and an incomparable pride.

Sharing with Van Hoa reporter before the parade, the player born in 1996 could not hide his emotions: "Being able to walk on Ba Dinh Square on the historic day of the nation, I am filled with emotions and gratitude towards previous generations. This is a moment that any Vietnamese person dreams of."

Duy Manh recounted the moment he heard the news that he was selected to participate in the Cultural - Sports parade, he felt moved, happy and proud. During the days of preliminary and final rehearsals, when he lived in the heroic atmosphere, witnessed the old veterans who were still full of enthusiasm and responsibility, he truly felt small but also full of determination. "You guys are the shining examples for the younger generation like us to follow," he said.

Born into a farming family in Dong Anh, Hanoi , Duy Manh was trained in the Hanoi FC shirt and soon made a name for himself at the national team level. He was part of the U23 Vietnam team that created the miracle of Thuong Chau 2018, followed by the AFF Cup 2018 championship and most recently the ASEAN Cup 2024.

The image of Duy Manh - from Thuong Chau years ago to Ba Dinh today - is forever a living proof that: every player on the field, every step in the parade, is a soldier guarding and adding color to the red flag with yellow star of the Fatherland.

For him, every match is always a war, where each player carries the heart of a soldier, wears the national flag on his chest and the desire to fight for the flag and the shirt.

“In a way, we players are like soldiers when we step onto the field. No matter how difficult or strong the opponent is, we must fight with all our might to achieve the highest results for our country,” he affirmed.

Duy Manh’s career is not only associated with victories and titles but also with the symbol of perseverance and indomitable spirit. The image of the flag in Thuong Chau years ago is now extended by the footsteps on Ba Dinh Square – the most sacred place of the Fatherland.

It is a journey that connects the past and the present, from the memories of snowstorms to the flag festival, from the sports battle to the national festival. And in both spaces, Duy Manh appears with the same spirit: ready to fight, ready to contribute, ready to shoulder the responsibility of today's young generation.

At the end of the conversation, the Hanoi FC player looked towards the Ba Dinh Square sparkling with lights and shared with emotion: “My greatest pride is wearing the national team jersey, contributing a small part to the overall achievements of Vietnamese football and today, walking in the national festival. This will be a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Those words of sharing seemed to blend with the bustling atmosphere of millions of Vietnamese hearts, so that the image of Duy Manh - from Thuong Chau years ago to Ba Dinh today - is forever a living proof that: every player on the field, every step in the parade, is a soldier guarding and adding more color to the red flag with yellow star of the Fatherland.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/cau-thu-duy-manh-va-nhung-buoc-chan-tu-hao-tren-quang-truong-ba-dinh-165496.html