Footballer Pham Xuan Manh interacts with fans on the morning of January 14 – Photo: DOAN HOA
On the morning of January 14, Nghe An Provincial Youth Union and Nghe An Department of Culture and Sports jointly organized an exchange program between national team player Pham Xuan Manh and fans after the Vietnamese team won the 2024 ASEAN Cup.
Xuan Manh's poor childhood
Excited by the historic victory, Xuan Manh shared that the nature of his career as a "football player" requires him to travel far and wide, so he was very happy and excited to return to his hometown this time because everyone welcomed him warmly.
Pham Xuan Manh was born into a farming family in Minh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, Nghe An . Manh's family was once considered the poorest in the commune. As a child, the former Song Lam Nghe An player had to live in a dilapidated house, exposed to rain and wind.
Manh's childhood was more difficult than his peers, going to school one day and working in the fields the other day, herding buffalo, cutting grass, and helping his parents. However, Xuan Manh still had a strong love for football.
Ms. Phan Thi Ha - mother of player Xuan Manh - shared about the difficult time when her son was admitted to the Song Lam Nghe An training center - Photo: DOAN HOA
“The days of playing football in the village with friends instilled in me a passion for football, participating in commune and district level tournaments and then being recruited to the Song Lam Nghe An football training center. At that time, I was only 12 years old. Sometimes when I missed home, I called my parents to ask for permission to come back,” Xuan Manh recalled.
To have money for Manh to pursue his career, his family had to sell their buffalo, the most valuable asset in the house. And this is what motivated Xuan Manh to always strive, overcome difficulties to become a good player.
Ms. Phan Thi Ha - mother of player Xuan Manh - recounted: "Nam Manh, who was playing for the U17 Song Lam Nghe An team, called the family to ask for a pair of shoes worth 4 million VND. My family is a frugal farmer and didn't know how to make ends meet, so we had to sell our buffalo for 8 million VND to send to my son to buy shoes.
The neighbors took pity on me and lent me a buffalo to do the farming. I also encouraged my son that if he returned home, he would only eat sticky rice (a dish made from young jackfruit - PV), while in the training center, he would be taught by the teachers and the living conditions would be better.
Constant effort
The turning point in Xuan Manh's career came when he was promoted to the first team of Song Lam Nghe An, then was called up by coach Park Hang Seo to the Vietnam U23 team to participate in the 2018 U23 Asian Cup finals.
At the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, Xuan Manh was just a substitute for Van Hau on the left wing of Vietnam U23. Although he was only the second choice, Xuan Manh completed his mission excellently when he was trusted by coach Park Hang Seo.
He started from the quarter-finals to the finals, making a great contribution to helping U23 Vietnam win the runner-up position at the 2018 U23 Asian Cup.
Player Pham Xuan Manh sent his thanks to fans who have always accompanied the Vietnamese team - Photo: DOAN HOA
After that tournament, Xuan Manh, once known as "Vietnam's poorest player", made new strides in his career and life.
At the ASEAN Cup 2024, where Xuan Manh just won the championship with the Vietnamese team. With his own determination, the player from the rice fields returned to the team and took the number 1 position on the table of coach Kim Sang Sik.
The defender born in 1996 has shown stable performance, contributing greatly to helping the Vietnamese team win the championship for the third time in the region's biggest football tournament.
“I am constantly striving and learning from my coaches, teammates and seniors so that my career can continue to reach new heights. I would like to thank my fans and family for always accompanying me in every tournament,” Xuan Manh shared.
Ms. Nguyen Phuong Thuy - Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union - said that the journey from hard training to success of football player Pham Xuan Manh has inspired many young people in Nghe An, giving them the motivation to strive to contribute more to their families and the community.
On this occasion, the Nghe An Province Young Entrepreneurs Association and the Pham Xuan family presented a total of 70 million VND to player Pham Xuan Manh. He also shared 20 million VND to support the Nghe An Province Fund for the Poor.
The Youth Union of Nghe An province awarded a certificate of merit, and the Department of Culture and Sports of Nghe An province awarded a certificate of merit to player Pham Xuan Manh for his excellent performance and winning a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Football Championship.
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