'The man without futsal lungs' has not stopped yet

‘Người không phổi futsal’ chưa dừng lại - Ảnh 1. — Former player Tran Van Thanh at the 2025 Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament - Photo: QUANG THINH

Nicknamed "the man without lungs", Tran Van Thanh became a familiar face in indoor football when playing for Sanvinest Khanh Hoa and Sanna Khanh Hoa for more than a decade.

By the end of 2024, Khanh Hoa officially "killed" professional futsal when Sanvinest Khanh Hoa dissolved. Khanh Hoa Futsal did not register to participate in national tournaments in 2025.

Thanh "bald" retired with his football team brothers at Sanna Khanh Hoa Company to work as a normal office worker. And then, right when the qualifying round of the 2025 Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament came as scheduled, the "lungless man" played for the first time wearing the Khanh Hoa Trade Union shirt.

At the age of nearly 37, Tran Van Thanh still steadfastly walks on the artificial turf field at Ton Duc Thang University. No longer playing indoor football like futsal, Thanh "troc" has to quickly adapt to the sun, heat and harsh competition schedule.

The players used to call the captain Thanh "cott", which sounded like Thanh "coach" - like a coach. When asked, we found out that it was Thanh "Walcott" because his bald head looked very similar to the former England star at Arsenal - Theo Walcott, and his speed was also like the "son of the wind god".

‘Người không phổi futsal’ chưa dừng lại - Ảnh 3. — Khanh Hoa Trade Union is still the identity of the coastal region - Photo: QUANG THINH

Khanh Hoa Trade Union, the core force from Sanna Khanh Hoa Company, has a long history of professional futsal sports , so it was not difficult for them to pass the group stage. They just stopped at the semi-finals of the Southern qualifying round but still won a place in the national final round at the end of October.

Fixo Tran Van Thanh said: "This is the first year I have competed in the Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants tournament. However, the team members are quite familiar with each other in the company. After the futsal team was disbanded, I played amateur football and then had the chance to compete in the Workers and Civil Servants tournament."

Having almost been shortlisted for the 2016 Futsal World Cup with the Vietnamese team, Thanh "bald" still considers it a beautiful memory on his professional career. For him, every time he steps onto the field is a new opportunity, no matter what field it is.

Having set his own determination, when Khanh Hoa Trade Union stopped at the semi-finals, receiving the third place prize, Tran Van Thanh still encouraged the players. Ahead of them will be a 2-week break for the final round of the 2025 Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament, where Khanh Hoa football can start again.

The 2025 Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament is jointly organized by Tuoi Tre Newspaper, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor , and Vietnam Football Federation. This is the third consecutive year the tournament has taken place.

The 2025 tournament is sponsored by Truong Hai Group Joint Stock Company (THACO), Dong Luc Sports Group, HTP Pharmaceutical Investment Joint Stock Company, Hoa Sen Group Joint Stock Company, Sunshine Group, Saigon Water Corporation (SAWACO), Faslink Fashion Connection Joint Stock Company, 108 Central Military Hospital, 175 Military Hospital and a number of enterprises.

The Northern qualifying round took place from October 3 to 5 at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, determining 6 names to win tickets to the national final round, including the champion, the People's Public Security Trade Union.

The Southern qualifying round is taking place from October 10 to 13 at Ton Duc Thang University and People's Police University with the participation of 23 teams.

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QUANG THINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguoi-khong-phoi-futsal-chua-dung-lai-20251013105355066.htm