Vietnam Workers' and Civil Servants' Football Tournament: An increasingly growing playground

bóng đá công nhân - Ảnh 1. — Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh and Chairman of Truong Hai Group Tran Ba Duong presented the championship cup to Sacombank - Photo: QUANG DINH

Last year, Sacombank (named Sacombank Binh Duong ) had to watch Quang Ninh Trade Union step up to the top of the podium after losing 3-4 in the penalty shootout of the final match in Hanoi. But this time, Sacombank did not let that happen again.

Sweet fruit for perseverance

When goalkeeper Nguyen Manh Tien successfully saved the decisive penalty, all the players and coaching staff of Sacombank flooded the field to celebrate the championship with emotion. This was a worthy achievement for Sacombank after last year's defeat. The sweat and efforts were rewarded after a long journey.

Sacombank was the champion of the Southern qualifying round this year after defeating strong opponent Sawaco in the final. And in the final of the national final, Sacombank defeated the Vietnam Banking Trade Union - a strong candidate and highly rated.

"This championship is the result of our tireless efforts. Last year, Sacombank fell in the final match. This year, it was the bravery and solidarity that helped the team reap the sweet fruit," said Mr. Nguyen Chi Bao - head of the Sacombank team.

Mr. Bao affirmed that this year's championship will be the driving force for Sacombank's sports movement to continue to break through and conquer new heights in the future. More importantly, Mr. Bao said that this is a very meaningful playground that not only bank employees look forward to but also workers. The tournament has created a very profound and increasingly widespread impact. The scale and quality of each tournament has increased significantly from the first season to the third season.

Mr. Bao shared: "This third season is a very impressive tournament, gathering many strong teams and receiving investment and attention from leaders of federations and businesses. Football is the king of sports, so everyone wants a playground. For Sacombank, in addition to the pressure of work with numbers, we hope to have a tournament like this so that our brothers have the motivation to practice and compete, creating exchanges, learning and connection between professions, especially with our brothers and sisters."

bóng đá công nhân - Ảnh 2. — The joy of Sacombank players when winning the championship on the afternoon of November 2 - Photo: QUANG DINH

Make workers' lives more colorful

The 2025 Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament brings indescribable emotions to the players and coaching staff of the teams. Not only are the matches fierce, this is also where the spirit of solidarity and pride of the workers is sublimated. They are workers, office workers, people who work hard every day on the cutting machine, in the factory, but when they put on their numbered shirts, they become real warriors on the field.

Player Nguyen Minh Trung Thuat (HCMC 2 Trade Union) whose daily job is as a woodcutter at Thanh Thang Thang Long Furniture Company is an example. The team lost to Sawaco in the third place match, but Trung Thuat had memorable matches and memories at the tournament. He said: "Thank you very much to the organizers for creating such a wonderful playground. This year's tournament is more magnificent and larger in scale than last year."

Coach Nguyen Cao Thien Trieu of the Ho Chi Minh City Trade Union 2 team said the tournament has changed the lives of the workers. "Previously, we only knew how to go to work and then come home. Now that there is a tournament, it not only helps improve our health but also helps us relax, making life more colorful. The organization, from the media to the professional field, all have created a beautiful memory for the players. We are very proud to be here. This year we achieved our goal, next year we will be determined to set a goal of winning the championship," Mr. Trieu affirmed.

Meanwhile, player Trinh Trong Nghia (Sacombank) could not hide his joy of winning the championship and his pride in participating in such a big tournament for the second consecutive year. He shared: "I feel extremely proud to represent the company and fight for the bank's flag and colors. This is also a rare tournament that gives me the opportunity to meet with workers from North to South. I hope the organizers will continue to maintain it for many more years, and at the same time expand the scale, helping workers have more playgrounds."

For team captain Nguyen Anh Son, although he could not win the championship with the Vietnam Bank Trade Union, the famous player on the amateur field named Son Muller said that this was one of the best memories in his career. He said: "Although I have played in many grassroots tournaments, this is the most professional tournament I have ever played in. In addition to creating a healthy playground for us, the Workers and Civil Servants Tournament has given us the opportunity to learn and expand our relationships."

bóng đá công nhân - Ảnh 3. — Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc - Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee - shook hands to encourage the referee before the final match - Photo: QUANG DINH

Expectations for the new season

Compared to last year's final, this year's final had a lot of spectators. This shows that the tournament is increasingly attractive and attracts spectators and supporters from the participating teams. Even the presence of Mr. Mai Van Chinh (Deputy Prime Minister) and Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc (Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee) is also a guarantee for the leaders' attention to the meaningful tournament of the workers.

Journalist Le The Chu - Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre Newspaper - shared: "After days of exciting and emotional competition - especially the dramatic final match between Sacombank and the Vietnam Banking Trade Union, we have together concluded a brilliantly successful season, filled with the spirit of solidarity, dedication and aspiration of Vietnamese workers.

Every goal, every play, every drop of sweat on the field is a living proof of determination, team spirit, the desire to surpass oneself, solidarity and responsibility - the qualities that make up the strength of Vietnamese workers and civil servants today.

Mr. Chu affirmed: "The Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament is not only a grassroots sports playground, but also an activity with profound social and humanistic significance. Through each match, we not only witness beautiful football moves and dramatic goals, but also feel the will, determination and spirit of overcoming difficulties of Vietnamese workers - people who are contributing day and night to the development of the country in all fields, from factories, workshops to offices and schools".

Mr. Tran Anh Tu - Vice President of Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) - assessed that the participating teams this year were better prepared, with more investment in personnel, tactics and physical strength compared to the tournament 2 years ago. In addition, the enthusiastic cheering from the audience created a truly vibrant football atmosphere, demonstrating the strong influence of the workers' football movement nationwide.

Mr. Tu concluded: "I think this year's tournament has shown remarkable progress in terms of technique, physical strength and tactics. That affirms the effectiveness of the close coordination between the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor - Vietnam Football Federation and Tuoi Tre newspaper in organizing, training and developing the sports movement among workers and laborers."

bóng đá công nhân - Ảnh 4. — The ball dispute between player Vu Dang Khoa (6, Sacombank team) and player of Vietnam Bank Trade Union team in the final match - Photo: QUANG DINH

Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu (Vice President of Vietnam General Confederation of Labor):

Prestige and brand of a tournament

I appreciate the organizing committee and the industry and local unions for their efforts to overcome difficulties to make this a successful season. I would like to thank the tournament's diamond sponsor - Truong Hai Group Joint Stock Company (THACO); Ton Duc Thang University and the accompanying units for their enthusiastic and responsible support and assistance to the organizing committee.

The professional quality of this year's tournament has been improved, attracting a large number of workers and fans to the stadium to cheer, showing the prestige and brand of a tournament dedicated to union members and workers. But beyond a normal sports tournament, the tournament is also a festival to care for the material and spiritual lives of union members and workers through practical sideline activities and activities to care for and support workers affected by natural disasters and epidemics with profound humanity.

The success of the 2025 season and past seasons will be the driving force for the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Tuoi Tre newspaper, and VFF to continue their efforts to maintain an annual playground dedicated to workers on a national scale. Contributing to improving the spiritual and cultural life, building a modern and strong working class in the era of national development.

Professional level playground for amateurs

The 2025 Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament, co-organized by Tuoi Tre Newspaper, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, and Vietnam Football Federation for the third consecutive year, continues to be marked by increasingly high professional quality with many dramatic and attractive matches. A typical example is the final match between Vietnam Banking Trade Union and Sacombank. Previously, the quarter-final match between Hai Phong Trade Union and Vietnam Banking Trade Union also attracted a large number of fans. At the same time, true to the nature of the movement and the playground for workers, the matches were extremely open with many goals scored.

After more than a month of competition with 40 teams, through 105 matches, the tournament had 561 goals scored (average 5.3 goals/match). In the final round alone, 32 matches had 133 goals scored (average 4.2 goals/match).