Goalkeeper Kim Thanh reveals about her difficult childhood, following football because her family was very poor

For a long time, Tran Thi Kim Thanh has always been the number 1 choice in goal for the Vietnamese women's team. Especially after the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Kim Thanh 's name has become even more familiar to football fans. Although coach Mai Duc Chung's team could not score any goals or gain any points at the biggest women's football tournament on the planet, Kim Thanh still left a big mark. The situation where the Vietnamese women's team's goalkeeper successfully blocked a penalty kick from the world's best striker Alex Morgan delighted domestic audiences, as well as impressed international fans. Notably, Kim Thanh is also in the top 10 goalkeepers with the most saves at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

Goalkeeper Kim Thanh (14) made many saves in the match between Vietnam and the US, especially the penalty save from star Alex Morgan (white shirt, left cover).

Childhood pulling beans, harvesting rice... with mother

Kim Thanh 's journey to football was not smooth. On the Vietnam Football Federation's fanpage, the goalkeeper from Long An shared the reason for pursuing a football career: "I chose to pursue football because I wanted to help my parents ease some of the burden. My family has 3 siblings, and is very poor, so my parents could not afford to send their children to school. Therefore, I chose to play football, so that people there could take care of my education and training. I officially pursued football since I was 14 years old."

Goalkeeper Kim Thanh's thoughts after a memorable 2023 Women's World Cup journey

The "goalkeeper" born in 1993 recalled his difficult childhood: "When I was young, I often went to the fields to help my mother pick beans, harvest rice, ... in general, the work of a farmer or hired worker. From 4 am, I got up to follow my mother to the fields to earn extra income, helping my parents to have less trouble. I picked beans, one bucket earned 2,500 VND. In one day, I picked 10 buckets like that, earning 25,000 VND".

Kim Thanh's eyes filled with tears as she recalled her family's situation.

According to goalkeeper Kim Thanh, she did not come to football because of her initial passion, but it seems that the profession chose her. "When I was young, if I went to school in the morning, I would go to work in the afternoon, or vice versa. When I came home early, there was a field in front of the yard, and I saw the guys in the neighborhood often playing football, so I stood there watching or sometimes participating just for fun, but I didn't know how to play or catch a goalkeeper. At that time, the Ho Chi Minh City team was lacking a goalkeeper, so the coaches there asked my physical education teacher to help find someone, they just needed someone with a little height and big hands to train. Therefore, from the beginning, I was trained to be a goalkeeper and have followed it until now, without playing any other position," said Kim Thanh.

Although she has no talent, Kim Thanh is always determined, pursuing her career seriously and constantly practicing and improving her expertise. "Since I started playing football, I have been professionally trained, provided with food, education, living expenses and paid. At that time, I thought I had to always try my best, so that one day I could be on the national team, so that I could help my parents at home. Although I have no talent, I was taught a lot by my seniors at the club. When practicing with the team, I conceded many goals, but the coach still kept me and trained me slowly. I remember, the teachers used to say that it is easy to train someone who knows nothing, but it is very difficult to train someone who knows how to play football to be a goalkeeper," the goalkeeper of the Vietnamese women's team recalled.

Once thought of quitting football

The biggest challenge for professional football players is injury, and Kim Thanh is no exception. The 30-year-old goalkeeper once felt discouraged and thought about quitting football. The goalkeeper of Ho Chi Minh City I Club confided: "After practicing at the club for quite a while, about a few years, I got injured. I was in pain, couldn't practice and compete, so I was very sad. That year, I was about 23 - 24 years old, and had patellar osteoarthritis in both legs. At that time, in my mind, I thought about stopping pursuing football and going to study a profession, to later make a living. However, the teachers encouraged me a lot, giving me time to rest and recover. I overcame it and continued. Now I still have it, after each tournament I have to get injections of lubricant into my legs to compete".

Goalkeeper Kim Thanh is currently a mainstay of the Vietnamese women's team.

Goalkeeper Kim Thanh, despite facing many difficulties, still strongly overcame all obstacles to continue her journey to conquer the round ball. Perhaps, family is the biggest motivation for the girl from Long An not to give up and have today. Kim Thanh choked up: "When I became the official goalkeeper of Ho Chi Minh City Club I and the Vietnam women's team, I competed a lot and also received attention from benefactors and leaders. I received many awards, so I could help my family, rebuild the house for my parents to have a more spacious and comfortable place to live. Thinking back to the past, my family was poor, the house was very small. When I came back, there was no place to lie down and rest. There was a parking space in the house, when I came back for 2 weeks, I slept there."

"Currently, I have finished university. I will study for a coaching degree. When I retire, I can teach or become a coach to pass on my experience to young athletes," goalkeeper Kim Thanh revealed about her plans for the future.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/thu-mon-kim-thanh-tiet-lo-ve-tuoi-tho-co-cuc-theo-bong-da-vi-nha-rat-ngheo-185231217155511164.htm