Circumstances created The Cong, love nurtured The Cong.

I asked Ngo Quang Tung – the son of Ngo Xuan Quynh, the former head of the The Cong football team – who was instrumental in discovering and sending outstanding talents aged 17-18 such as Nguyen The Anh (Ba Den), Nguyen Trong Giap, Vuong Tien Dung, Vu Manh Hai, Nguyen Van Nhat, Phan Van My… to North Korea for about a year of training, "Before and even now, do you hope for the name 'The Cong' to return?"

That seemingly innocent question was explained in a very pleasant way by the commentator with a calm, soothing voice: "Back then, my fathers and uncles played football without being significantly affected by the name. What is The Cong? It's simply an abbreviation for the Army Sports and Physical Education Task Force, established on September 23, 1954. And at one point, specifically for a long period of over 20 years from 1976 to 1998, the name The Cong wasn't used. The military team was renamed the Army Club to better suit the historical context at the time."

Throughout that period, names like Nguyen The Anh, Tran Van Khanh, Nguyen Cao Cuong… remained number one. The team wearing the military uniform remained number one. To this day, The Cong is still the team with the most national championships (5 times).

Ngo Quang Tung reminisced: “My uncles and older brothers played with great perseverance. Going onto the field was both a duty and a way to enjoy themselves. It was a joy, a dedication of their best qualities, bringing the most exhilarating moments to the audience. During the subsidy era, what other form of entertainment could be more suitable for all social classes than that!”

Continuing his heartfelt conversation, Tùng said: "The name Thể Công might return in the 2019 V.League season or even later, but that's not important. The crucial thing is that the 'winning gene,' the qualities of the 'football warriors,' have always been maintained through the many ups and downs of Vietnamese football."

At one point, fans mispronounced The Cong as The Cong, meaning they had fallen in love with, expected, and hoped for a team that always looked forward, determined to win even in the most difficult and seemingly insurmountable situations. The Cong, therefore, embodied the most fundamental traditions of a Vietnamese People's Army football team – a team of soldiers.

At this point, Ngo Quang Tung suddenly choked up, his eyes gazing into the distance: "No matter what happens to Vietnamese football, I believe The Cong will always have a firm place in the hearts of fans of many generations and families. That makes me feel happy and also very honored and proud to be the son of a former The Cong legend."

I understand that you're reminiscing about your father, who, though many years have passed, still embodies the spirit of The Cong (a Vietnamese sports team) somewhere within him. And that spirit is present in a part of his son's character and bloodline.

Remembering former football legend Ngo Xuan Quynh – the father of commentator Ngo Quang Tung – fans immediately recall one of the leading figures, the first generation of players at The Cong Football Club. After retiring from playing, Mr. Quynh became the head of the The Cong football team, directly nurturing and leading generations of talented players to make a name for themselves domestically and leave a strong mark on the international stage. This generation was later sent to North Korea for training.

“People think that was the period when we learned a lot about professional skills directly from North Korea – the country that had a team participating in the 1966 World Cup. But in reality, they only provided maximum support in logistics; we had to take care of the rest ourselves. The goal we set for ourselves at that time was ‘one year in their country is equivalent to three years in Vietnam.’ My father and his colleagues, especially Coach Nguyen Van Tien (Mr. Muoi Tien), personally developed, implemented, and completed the training plans and the self-set goals,” commentator Quang Tung recalled.

But a crucial factor contributing to that success was the careful selection of "seeds," the nurturing of talented and promising individuals who then "blossomed" after a year of training in North Korea.

Those who joined The Cong back then were the cream of Vietnamese football. The Cot Co Stadium – The Cong's "sacred ground" located in the heart of the capital – attracted the most coveted glances.

"And they arrived as if they had 'found each other.' Everything could be considered perfect at that moment!" commentator Quang Tung admitted.

Following the "golden generation" of the 1970s, The Cong (Army Club) has continued to produce talented players for Vietnamese football.

From the generation of Nguyen Cao Cuong, Quan Trong Hung, Do Van Phuc, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Dinh The Nam… followed by Nguyen Hong Son, Do Manh Dung, Nguyen Hai Bien, Ngo Tien Dung…

Then came Nguyen Duc Thang, Truong Viet Hoang, Nguyen Manh Dung, Nguyen Minh Tien, Dang Phuong Nam, Pham Nhu Thuan… And then the generation born in 1987 with Trinh Quang Vinh, Cong Huy, Ngoc Duy, Quoc Long…

And now comes the generation of the steely central defender Bui Tien Dung – who has made a significant contribution to the success of the Vietnamese national teams under coach Park Hang-seo throughout 2018.

"I can confidently say, speaking personally, that Viettel is currently the most comprehensive football training center in Vietnam. They have a team playing in the V.League, excellent facilities, a long-term vision, and a unifying thread: former star players who are now coaching, diligently polishing the gems for Viettel in particular and Vietnamese football in general," Quang Tung proudly stated.

Every day, the Viettel "U" teams witness their seniors training and competing. This inspiration, pride, and honor are passed on to the younger Viettel players, who then strive their best to train with the dream of one day playing alongside their seniors. Quang Tung affirms that this is something not every team or training center can achieve.

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