The workers from Luxshare Nghe An Company form the core of the Nghe An Trade Union football team participating in the 2026 Vietnam Workers and Employees Football Tournament - Photo: TAM PHAM
As soon as the end-of-shift whistle blew, the workers in their familiar Luxshare Nghe An Company uniforms quickly changed their shoes and put on their training shirts to begin their training sessions in preparation for the 2026 Vietnam Workers and Employees Football Tournament.
They are not professional players. By day, they are production line workers or technicians in electronics factories, constantly busy with their jobs. But when they step onto the field, they all carry within them a burning desire to win and a sense of pride in wearing the colors of the Nghe An Trade Union football team.
The "warriors" after work hours.
At 6 PM, the football field began to fill with people. Under the lights, the shouts and cheers, the sound of the ball bouncing against the sidelines, filled the air with excitement. After many hours of working in the factory, the players of the Nghe An Trade Union football team were still diligently practicing tactics, teamwork, and physical fitness.
The core of this year's team comes from Luxshare Nghe An Company - a business with tens of thousands of workers employed in factories throughout the province. Due to the nature of their work as production workers, they have limited time for football, so training sessions usually begin in the evenings or on weekends.
Mr. Le Khanh Minh - Head of the delegation and Chairman of the Trade Union of Luxshare Nghe An Company - said that after the internal sports competitions, the coaching staff has selected the best players to form the core of the team participating in this year's national tournament.
"The sports movement in general, and football in particular, among workers at Luxshare is developing very strongly. After work, the workers still maintain regular training. From internal sports tournaments, we select players with good skills and a strong team spirit to supplement the Nghe An Trade Union team," Mr. Minh shared.
The Luxshare Nghe An Company's football team won the championship at the Luxshare Group's sports competition in China in 2025 - Photo: KHANH MINH
Although they lack the training facilities of professional teams, the passionate spirit and dedication of these workers give this team its unique character. Many players have to quickly eat after their shifts before heading to the training ground; everyone is exhausted, but no one wants to miss a session.
In the current squad, striker Nguyen Dinh Linh is considered one of the most outstanding players. He participated in the previous two seasons and left his mark with his teamwork skills and skillful individual technique.
Linh shared: "After work, it's a lot of fun to be on the field playing football with my teammates. Each season brings me many memorable moments. This year, the team has many young players with great spirits, so everyone is determined to give their best."
On the training field, captain Pham Dinh Do is always the one shouting and encouraging his teammates the most. He not only plays the role of a spiritual leader but also acts as a bridge connecting players from various workshops and departments within the company.
"Since we're all workers, we don't have much time. Therefore, every training session is precious. We try to encourage each other to train seriously and build team spirit. The whole team is very excited and highly determined to compete with all their might for the honor of hundreds of thousands of workers and trade union officials in our province," Mr. Do shared.
The spiritual nourishment of workers.
Luxshare Nghe An Company's internal tournament helps select quality players to participate in the 2026 Vietnam Workers and Employees Football Tournament - Photo: TAM PHAM
In recent years, along with the strong development of industrial zones, the sports movement among workers in Nghe An has become increasingly vibrant. Among them, football is considered the sport that attracts the most union members and workers to participate.
Behind this development is the connecting role of the Trade Union and the Nghe An Provincial Federation of Labor in creating beneficial recreational activities for workers after work hours.
In addition to caring for the material well-being of workers, trade unions at all levels also pay special attention to their spiritual lives. Regularly organized amateur football tournaments and workers' sports events have become opportunities for workers to socialize, improve their health, and strengthen team bonds.
For two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024, the Nghe An Trade Union football team won the championship in the qualifying rounds held on their home ground in Nghe An. This achievement not only demonstrates the team's professional quality but also reflects the strong vitality of the workers' football movement in the province.
Despite reaching the finals twice, the Nghe An Trade Union football team has yet to achieve the gold medal dream of the Vietnam Workers and Public Employees Football Tournament. Entering this season, the Nghe An Trade Union team continues to aim for further progress and compete for the top positions.
The sports and football movement in factories and industrial zones in Nghe An is very vibrant - Photo: TAM PHAM
Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Kha Van Tam, Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial Labor Union, said that in the last three years, Nghe An has been among the top 10 provinces and cities attracting the largest amount of FDI. Currently, there are 170 businesses operating in economic zones and industrial parks in Nghe An, employing more than 64,000 workers.
The growth of businesses also leads to a great demand for cultural and sports activities for workers.
"Football is a very meaningful sport, helping workers improve their health, foster team spirit, and create a sense of belonging to the company. The National Workers' and Employees' Football Tournament is a very practical activity, contributing to spreading the sports movement among workers," Mr. Tam shared.
According to Mr. Tam, the fact that the Nghe An Trade Union football team has maintained good performance over the years is the result of coordination between the trade union organization, businesses, and the union members and workers themselves.
"The tournament ahead will certainly present many challenges. But we believe that for the workers who come out of the factory, each match is not just a competition for the score, but also an opportunity to affirm the youthfulness, solidarity, and burning love for football of the working class," Mr. Tam expressed his expectations.
In 2026, Tuoi Tre newspaper, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) will continue to jointly organize the Vietnam Workers and Public Employees Football Tournament. Entering its fourth season, the tournament brings together 48 teams from all over the country, further affirming its position as a prestigious annual event for workers, public employees, and laborers nationwide. This contributes to promoting physical training and sports, and improving the cultural and spiritual lives of workers in particular and society as a whole.
Notably, this is the fourth consecutive season that the Vietnam Workers and Employees Football Tournament has been honored to receive the support of its Diamond Sponsor - Truong Hai Group (THACO). The commitment of THACO, along with its partners such as Dong Luc Sports Group, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam, Vietnam Cable Television Corporation (VTVcab), FPT Television Company Limited (FPT Play), and many other businesses, has contributed to strongly spreading the humanitarian values, solidarity spirit, and community significance of the tournament.
A press conference announcing the tournament is scheduled for May 20, 2026. Immediately following, the Northern regional qualifiers will be held from May 21 to 24 in Hanoi; the Southern regional qualifiers will take place from June 6 to 9 in Ho Chi Minh City. The season will conclude with the national finals, tentatively scheduled to be held in Ho Chi Minh City at the end of July 2026.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giac-mo-vang-cua-doi-bong-cong-doan-nghe-an-20260517134824927.htm
Comment (0)