Life and career stories of journalists
A journey of living fully with the truth, bravely and differently
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc in Porto city, Portugal.
The first pages of books
Reporter: Books opened up the world to you very early. Do you remember the first feeling when you read and “saw” the world through those pages?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: I was lucky because my father was a reporter for the Vietnam News Agency. During my childhood, whenever my father went to work, he often “locked” me in the house, like many of my peers whose parents went to work back then, and at home, I read many books that my father brought home from work. Those books opened up a completely different world for me.
It was the 1980s, when Vietnam was still under embargo, going abroad was extremely difficult. There was no Internet, no social networks, and TV content was poor. However, it was the pages of books that became the first door leading me to the world .
I mention my father because his articles have inspired me in a special way. My father was a reporter for the Liberation News Agency, working in the battlefields of the South, such as the Quang Tri front in 1972.
I still remember sitting at home, flipping through the pages of my father's newspaper about the fierce battles, and wondering, "Why would my father write such things? Why would he be in such places? Can I become such a person?"
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc shared with Nhan Dan Newspaper reporter.
I started asking these questions when I was in third or fourth grade. When I was in fifth grade, my uncle, a naval officer, gave me a huge US Navy world map. I spread the map out on my bed, then on the floor, and sat there contemplating each place name and each country.
But just looking at it wasn’t enough, so I asked for a large piece of cardboard and drew the entire map by hand. And from that moment on, I had a very specific dream: one day, I would set foot on those dots on the map - places that when I was a child I could only see through pages.
Then one day, I read a novel about American television reporters investigating terrorist organizations. The story fascinated me . I began to imagine a journalist who not only reported the news, but also committed himself to finding the truth, getting to the bottom of what was hidden.
The love for journalism came naturally , no one pushed me, no one guided me. My father never said a word about it or advised me to choose this career. But I read what he wrote, I observed the world through books, photos of world-famous photographers, and I wanted to live like that.
At one point, I decided to study journalism. My father supported me, although he only said one short sentence: "This is your choice. But if you become a journalist, you must know that it is an extremely difficult and tiring job. I cannot be responsible for that, only you can decide your own path."
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc hunts clouds in Y Ty, Bat Xat, Lao Cai .
Reporter: So what kind of environment did you receive your journalism training in?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: I studied journalism at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Besides studying in class, I also like to study by myself . To be honest, I skipped a lot of classes during my college years. But that was because I spent most of my time learning in my own way: reading, writing, traveling and experiencing.
So, while my friends were still studying introductory journalism, I was already doing field work, writing articles (actually, I started publishing articles when I was still in high school), going to the field, and getting used to holding a notebook, interviewing, and editing articles.
I'm not too theoretical, which I always try to transform into practical experience by... picking up my backpack and going.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
I often go alone, to observe, to learn, to write. People often say "practice makes perfect", but for me... practice is more than studying.
In four years of university, what I got was not academic performance, which was very average, each year worse than the previous, but a lot of articles, a lot of trips, a lot of real-life collisions .
I was not surprised when I entered the editorial environment, because since I was little, I had followed my father to his office many times, familiar with the atmosphere of the departments, the people in the profession and the working style of reporters and editors. I understood clearly how a newsroom operates, and how reporters work.
Thanks to that, when I graduated, although my grades were not outstanding, and my scholarships kept dropping year by year, and by the end of my senior year, there were no scholarships left, I already had a pretty solid foundation in the profession. Right after graduation, I received invitations from many press agencies, even some advertising companies.
"Go When We Are Young" - Title of the book by journalist Truong Anh Ngoc.
Reporter: When you first started your career, what was the biggest obstacle you encountered? And how did you overcome those obstacles to become one of the outstanding reporters, especially in the sports field?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: Although I used to say I was lucky to have a father who worked in the profession, but unintentionally, my father was the biggest obstacle . When I graduated, my father was holding an important position at the Vietnam News Agency and wanted me to work there. But I refused.
I always thought that the phrase “son of a powerful person” was very heavy. No matter how capable I was, if I came to work at the News Agency, all my achievements would easily be labeled as “he is just his father’s son”. I did not want to live in anyone’s shadow, including my father.
So I chose a different path : to work in television at Hanoi Radio and Television, an environment completely foreign to my family, where no one knew me, and no one supported me. I had studied television, but it was a very "difficult" choice, full of challenges, and I chose it because I wanted to practice, intern, learn and determined from the beginning to succeed.
From that environment, after 4 years, I gradually gained a foothold, becoming a famous TV commentator at the age of 24, an age at which not many people in the press industry achieve such recognition.
However, the title of commentator is another difficulty. When I left Hanoi Radio to move to the written environment, I had to make a lot of effort for people to see me as a journalist , not just a football commentator .
It was too strong a “shell” - a title that had been established too early. And the fact is that until now, many people still call me a commentator, not a journalist. Breaking out of that title, creating a new style and position is not easy.
Because of that, I traveled a lot, wrote a lot, and expanded the topics I pursued.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
Football is only a small part of my work. I write books, I was the head of the Vietnam News Agency's permanent office in Italy for two terms. I live in Rome, work internationally, have published 5 books so far and am preparing to publish my 6th travelogue - and only then will people start calling me a journalist in the true sense.
I determined: football commentary is a passion, I can live with it for the rest of my life. But what I really want is for people to remember me as a professional journalist , with a complete career journey. And to achieve that, I had to work hard for many years. It was not easy at all.
If you want to succeed, you must dare to be different.
Reporter: As one of the few Vietnamese journalists who have worked at many EURO and World Cups, you always delve into sideline stories, so what is the moment that you remember most?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: I can tell hundreds of stories from every World Cup or EURO that I have participated in, because for me, each tournament is a journey full of experiences.
I have the advantage of having worked abroad since I was young, having lived in Europe as a correspondent. Therefore, every time I go to a country that hosts a tournament, I don’t need time to adapt. I am used to the international working rhythm, understand the people, culture and social context there.
I do not just see the World Cup or EURO as a sporting event, but as a “mirror” reflecting the society, history, culture, and politics of the host country during the tournament.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
I still write about the matches, the players, the goals, but what I care about more deeply is : how do the people there live? Do they really care about the World Cup? Why are there people who are indifferent to football? The stories behind the pitch are always more interesting to me than what happens on the 5,400m² of grass.
Each trip lasts about 30-35 days , and every day I write a few thousand words. No two days are the same. And a reporter for the Vietnam News Agency must be multi-talented. I also have to take photos of events, write news for online newspapers, and make TV reports every day, filming, displaying, and editing myself.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc works at Red Bull Arena stadium during EURO 2024.
I always plan my trips to those tournaments very early, usually 6 months before the tournament.
Each place I visited in the recent EURO such as Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Bremen... had a specific schedule: what to write, where to post, what topic to exploit, including historical stories, local culture or small details like... the statue of the Bremen musician. I had to go there, take pictures of it, feel it, after reading a lot of information about this place.
For that trip to Germany, I had to do a lot of research : Politics, immigration policy, far-right movements, folklore, Grimm's fairy tales... The more I read, the more I understood. I always carried a notebook, saved ideas on my phone, and quickly recorded anything that came to mind.
Nowadays, the cost of travel is very high. Many agencies no longer send 2-3 people like before, so a reporter like me has to "shoulder" everything: news, articles, television, photos, behind the scenes. Therefore, I have to calculate the itinerary so that I can be present on the field, while ensuring that I have enough material to write a travelogue, and more importantly - to write a book.
Articles written at the World Cup or EURO are often the “seeds” for my later travel books. Newspapers can only publish limited amounts of content because of the limited scope, while books are where I can tell more and more in depth. The five travel books I have published all have their core formed from such trips.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc and a German fan during EURO 2024.
That's why I always consider EURO or World Cup not only as journalism work, but also as study trips, self-training, improving both physical and mental health.
It may sound strange, but to prepare for a World Cup, I started training my body months in advance: increasing my physical activity, running, walking. I trained regularly to avoid exhaustion during 30 to 40 consecutive days of work.
There were days when I had to walk 20 to 30km, staying up all night to meet deadlines for newspaper and television articles without being overwhelmed by work pressure. Not to mention the psychological pressure, stress, weather... if not well prepared both physically and with information for the trip, journalists will collapse in the middle of the journey.
Reporter: When you switched from being a sports reporter to a writer of books and travelogues, did you ever worry that you were “going astray” or losing your journalistic identity? What makes travel writing different from your regular journalism work?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: Actually, what I write in my columns all have the appearance of travelogues - a genre that is a cross between journalism and literature.
In the article, I am a journalist-traveler who travels everywhere on various journeys by all kinds of means and has a very wandering nature. But I still include numbers, facts, current statistics, and at the same time, I also incorporate emotions, life material and personal feelings. Later, when writing books, I often have to rewrite those articles, develop them further and add more details, making them more literary.
The book "Go When We Are Young" by journalist Truong Anh Ngoc.
I often compare an article to a coat hanger: the frame of the article is the frame of journalism – neat, coherent, informative, no need to be flashy. But when turning it into a book, I can “put on” that same frame a different coat: more soaring, more romantic, more personal, more “me”.
There are details that cannot be included in newspapers due to space limitations or genre standards, but in books, I am allowed to recount, delve deeper, and expand. And to do that, I have to prepare in advance - both materials, emotions, and ideas.
I see it as a way to make the trip not only effective journalistically, but also truly valuable creatively.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
My writing style is inherently romantic, true to travel writing: relaxed, full of emotion, but still maintaining structure and rhythm so that readers can clearly feel the breath of life where I pass through. In newspapers, I incorporate current events; in books, I remove those current events to make room for people, characters, and the individual self.
Luckily, since 2008, when I started working at the first EURO, the Sports and Culture newspaper of the Vietnam News Agency has been very open to this writing style. I was allowed to express myself, to describe the journey in a very personal voice - something that not every newspaper allows. That is something I really appreciate.
Some articles by journalist Truong Anh Ngoc published in Sports & Culture newspaper.
Reporter: You almost lost your life in South Africa, Brazil and received death threats in France because of your reporting. What motivated you to rush into such “hot spots”? And have those experiences changed the way you view journalism?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: Those stories are just a few examples of the many risks that journalism brings, especially when you work alone, without teammates to support you. At that time, anything can happen.
Many journalism students have asked me: “ Is it necessary to do that ? Just going to the stadium, training ground, team hotel, or following the fans is enough, why do we have to go to dangerous places like the slums?”
I replied: I don’t want to stop at just the role of transmitting information. If I did the same as other reporters, going to the same places they also go, I would be no different from them. And I always keep in mind that I have to be different from the majority. Therefore, I feel that I have another “mission” - that is to have adventures , to find things that others don’t go, don’t dare to go, or don’t think about.
For me, journalism is not just about recording information, but also about finding the difference . And to get that, sometimes you have to take risks. Of course, risk within limits, enough to come back and tell the story .
Such trips have shaped my professional instincts: a sense of danger, the ability to quickly judge whether to continue venturing or stop for safety. I always choose the middle ground - reaching the "hot" zone, but not taking a risk that I can't turn back.
Someone asked: “Why don’t you go with a team to have support and protection?” I’ll tell you the truth: the only person I trust absolutely is myself . I trust my instincts, my expertise and my preparation.
But to venture into such places, you have to be fit . I am a very good runner, otherwise I would not be sitting here telling this story. You also need basic skills: know where the danger is, avoid attracting attention, do not show off or reveal your identity too early.
In short, to have different articles, you must understand the risks , feel the danger, and know how to get out of bad situations .
I'm not sure I can give specific advice to young people studying journalism or colleagues in the profession.
But I know one thing for sure: if it weren't for those times of facing danger , there wouldn't be me today.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
Reporter: Looking back on decades of working, what advice do you have for young people to confidently enter the profession, especially in the current context?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: To make a mark, you have to be yourself. But that “you” has to be different from everyone else. If you are working on the same topic as dozens of others, then it is imperative that you find your own perspective, a special material, and a unique way of expression.
Success doesn't come from copying someone else, copying a style of writing, or copying an idea. Success comes from creating something that only you can create .
That’s what got me where I am today. I put myself in situations that many people would avoid. Like in Germany last year, one day I took a train more than 500km up north, then the next morning I turned around, then continued 500km down south. Not because I didn’t have an easier option, but because I knew that if I wanted to tell a different story, I had to choose a different path .
You can’t write about a slum just by sitting outside a cafe and looking at it and imagining it. You have to go in, listen, feel, to really understand what’s going on inside. That way, the writing will be lived , not just observed through a blurred lens.
What is the price of being different? It may put you in danger. It may go against the majority, speak out against the majority. But if you choose to go against the majority, then go all the way , and never regret it.
There is no old city, only old soul
Reporter: You are known as a journalist, commentator or travel writer, but some people also call you a “traveler” or jokingly call you a “tenant house owner”. With so many titles, which one do you feel you are most suited to and why?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: I just don't like it when people remember me only as a commentator .
Actually, my football commentary career started more than 20 years ago - officially since 1999, that is 26 years. For football fans, it is understandable that they associate me with the role of a commentator.
But I always hope they see me in many other roles. Of course, you can't force anyone, if they are only interested in football, then maybe they are not interested in literature, in travel books, in other areas of my work.
Still, I hope they will know that I am more than just football.
In recent years, I have participated in TV shows with richer content. Through that, I have the opportunity to reach a very different, older audience. And I consider that a joy, another form of success.
But if asked: what role do I want to be remembered most? The answer is always journalist .
Because “journalist” includes everything I have done and am doing. A journalist can write articles, write books. Can travel, observe, tell stories like a traveler. Can sit in a studio like a “wise man”. Can also comment on football like an expert. And in fact, I have a journalist card. Well (laughs), so calling me a journalist is most appropriate .
Health and Time - The Two Most Important Things
Reporter: You often mention “living slowly”, “facing death”, and even wrote your own eulogy. What experiences do these thoughts come from? And how does it change the way you live your daily life?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: Indeed, I once wrote a eulogy for myself. Many people heard that and said: "It's bad luck to talk about death while you're still alive!" People often avoid mentioning death.
I think differently. Death is always present in each of us , whether you mention it or not. But when we actively talk about it, it is not to be afraid or pessimistic, but to remind ourselves to live better .
I have seen that in many countries, people talk about death very lightly. They do not see it as a gloomy ending, but as an opportunity to recall happy memories, good things about the deceased. I wrote my own eulogy as a way to tell people: if I am gone, remember that I lived a good life, and I lived a real life.
I have witnessed many relatives and friends gradually fading away from cancer – silently, silently and painfully. Some because of not having regular health check-ups, some because of unhealthy lifestyles. By the time the disease was discovered, it was too late. Those experiences made me look at death not with fear, but with a sense of proactive living .
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc regularly takes care of his health by playing many sports.
I choose to live slowly . Live to contemplate. Live to cherish every moment. And I have registered to donate organs . To me, donating organs is a kind way of living – because when I no longer exist, my body can still give life to others. It is a useful death , a death that is not wasted.
Since I signed up to be an organ donor, I find myself living more responsibly. I eat more healthily, stay away from unhealthy foods, think more positively, and exercise more regularly. Because now, I’m not just living for myself – I’m also living for those who may receive life in the future.
I often share this publicly, both in the media and on social networks. Not to attract attention, but to say: don't be afraid to talk about death. When we face it honestly, we will see that life is much more precious.
I often tell people on my personal page: “Go exercise! Go jogging!” Because after all, life only needs two most important things: health and time . When you have health, you will have more time. And when you have time, you will do more meaningful things.
Reporter: There are online communities that make “memes” about you, many people “troll” you because of your controversial statements. What do you think about that? How do you choose to respond?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: Everyone has their own opinion. And when we express our opinion, it is not to please everyone, but simply because we truly believe it is right.
Me too. When I talk about football, which I have been doing for decades, I don’t care which team has more fans, which player is more popular. I don’t choose my words to avoid things. I say what I need to say , because I feel it is necessary to say it.
And of course, there are always opposing opinions . I accept that. If you argue in a civilized manner, I am willing to listen, even discuss. But if you attack people personally, fall into negativity, then sorry, I will exclude you from the dialogue.
Many people, especially celebrities, are so afraid of public opinion that they bend to other people's expectations . They say things they don't believe in, and live a life that is not true to their nature. I think that's not okay.
Of course, I don't always have to speak up, I don't have to meddle in everything. But if there's something I really understand, if I think it's worth saying , then I'll say it. Not everyone has to listen. Maybe only one percent cares - but I'll say it anyway.
Because if I was afraid of public opinion, if I was afraid of conflict, I would not have said it in the first place .
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
In a broader sense, journalism requires people with good life skills and the ability to do many things with a high desire for perfection. There is no such thing as saying: I have the right not to know this because I know too many other things.
I also told my young colleagues: You need to translate the tape recordings into text, so that every detail can be absorbed into every hair. You need to learn the trade, following the motto: 3 months to learn to roll over, 7 months to learn to crawl, 9 months to learn to walk. Don't rush the process.
As a journalist, you must determine that your work must be aimed at serving the best and most demanding people in the community, and not think that they will read it carelessly or carelessly; do not think that if you say something wrong, superficial, or not very carefully, no one will notice. You cannot do that. Buying a reputation is thirty thousand, selling a reputation is three coins. Gathering firewood for three years, burning it in an hour.
Reporter: Not everyone has the means or courage to “travel while we are young” (as the title of your book says). Do you have any advice for young people who hesitate because of financial pressure, fear of failure, fear of loneliness?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc: When writing the slogan "Go when we are young" , I aimed at young people, but at the same time it was also a reminder for myself.
I have traveled to many places in the world and realized that, in developed countries, young people often start their journey of discovery very early. They take advantage of the “gap year” to travel, do volunteer work, and accumulate life experiences, because that is what helps them mature and become more valuable in the eyes of employers.
When I published the book with that message, the first thing many young people asked was: "How can I go, where can I get the money to go?" But in fact, money is not the core issue .
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc with the book "Travel when we are young".
Recently, I shared with you a trip to Tu Lan 4 in Quang Binh - a 6-day, 5-night journey, including 4 days of continuous trekking through the forest of nearly 40 kilometers. Each night you sleep in a different camp. You have to climb mountains, swim in caves, go through the forest, no electricity, no wifi, no comfortable bed or warm blanket.
It is not something that can be done with money. You need health, physical strength, and survival skills. You must not be afraid of mosquitoes, leeches, or dark nights in the forest.
In other words, this is not a story about money. This is a story about courage.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
Many young people today are “stuck” in their comfort zone. They don’t have the courage to leave the familiar, to go it alone, to step into the unknown.
I started traveling at a very young age. I grew up traveling and often alone. Wherever I go, I eat there. I don't miss rice and pho. I don't cling to anything. I'm used to moving, used to adapting. So why can't you?
You just need to determine one thing: what is really important to make a trip? And then you will realize, the important thing is not money, but physical strength, courage and determination .
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc's trip to Tu Lan 4, Quang Binh.
If you really want to travel, you have to start with work, with savings, with physical training, and not think of it as a "pack up and go" journey. That's not the case. Traveling is a journey of accumulation, both in terms of inner strength and spirit.
I remember in 2016, a young British man, about 21 years old, climbed Fansipan alone, had an accident and died. Afterwards, on forums, many Vietnamese people criticized him: “Wasting his life”, “impulsive”, “making his parents suffer”… But I asked the opposite question: At that age, would you dare to go alone? Do you have enough health, skills, or courage to do that?
He did it. Accidents are unfortunate. But if you can't do it, at least learn from their journey , instead of criticizing from your comfort zone.
Reporter: You have traveled to many places and experienced many different lives. But is there any journey that you still cherish and have not yet completed? What do you want to leave behind for the readers and viewers who have followed you?
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc : If you ask me if I have any specific plans for the future, such as having to go to a certain country or a certain place, the answer is no. I don't make a list, nor do I have goals like "how many countries to go to", "how many places to check-in".
Many people have the habit of counting the remaining pages in their passports, counting the number of countries they have visited, the number of Michelin restaurants they have visited. That may be the way of life of the rich, but for me, life is not a collection of numbers or achievements to be counted . The most valuable thing is the experiences, the journey of life - not measured by quantity, but by the depth of emotions and memories.
For me, just being able to leave Vietnam a few times a year, continuing to explore the mountains of the Northwest, crawling into the deep caves of the Central region or returning to the caves of Quang Binh - that's enough.
I travel to challenge myself, to grow up after each journey.
Journalist Truong Anh Ngoc
Even when I return to old places, I still find new things. Because I myself have changed. Every time I return, I reflect on myself and recognize new things within myself. The scenery may not change, but a person with aspirations will never stand still.
I really like a saying: "You only really grow old when you no longer desire."
As long as you want to travel, to explore, to be excited about the world, age is just a number on paper, not a limit of the soul .
Reporter: Thank you, journalist Truong Anh Ngoc, for the interview!
Truong Anh Ngoc (born January 19, 1976). He is known as one of Vietnam's leading sports reporters, especially about football and especially Italian football.
In addition, he is also famous as one of the favorite commentators through many tournaments and is a reporter working at major sporting events at home and abroad. Since 2010, he is the first and only Vietnamese reporter to date invited by the prestigious magazine France Football to participate in voting for the Golden Ball award.
In addition to being a sports reporter, Anh Ngoc's main job is as an international news reporter. He was the head of the Vietnam News Agency's permanent office in Italy during the periods 2007–2010 and 2013–2016.
During the periods 2010-2013 and 2016 to present, he also worked as an editor and then as an editorial secretary for the Sports & Culture newspaper, and was also a contributor to many TV stations and many major newspapers and magazines.
Besides his work as a reporter, Anh Ngoc has also published travelogues about his journey of discovery and work. His first book "Italy, my love story" was released in May 2012 and received many positive reviews from fans. Currently, he has published 5 books and continues to write more.
Publication date: 6/17/2025
Implementing organization: HOANG NHAT
Content-Presentation: PHAN THACH - HA CUONG
Photo: TRUONG ANH NGOC, SON TUNG
Nhandan.vn
Source: https://nhandan.vn/special/nha-bao-truong-anh-ngoc/index.html
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