Legendary Ho Chi Minh City football goalkeeper passes away at the age of 65

(NLDO) - On the evening of February 15, the family of former goalkeeper Tran Van Hiep announced that he had passed away at the age of 65, after a long battle with a serious illness.

Former goalkeeper Tran Van Hiep is considered a legend of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry team - Photo courtesy of VPF

Former goalkeeper Tran Van Hiep is considered a legend of the HCM City Department of Industry team. When mentioning this talented "goalkeeper", the audience all remembers the golden age of HCM City football with 3 teams: Saigon Port, Customs and Department of Industry, among the group of strong and favorite clubs in the country.

At the peak of his career, Mr. Tran Van Hiep belonged to the golden generation of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry team. The goalkeeper born in 1960 had 10 consecutive years guarding the goal and played for the Vietnamese team in the 1984 SKADA tournament.

In the 1980s, Vietnamese football had 3 goalkeepers who were always considered to be in the top 3, including Mr. Tran Van Khanh of the Army Club (The Cong), Duong Ngoc Hung (Binh Dinh) and Tran Van Hiep.

Mr. Tran Van Hiep and former goalkeeper Nguyen Hong Pham (right) - Photo: Quoc Cuong

Talking about his senior's class, former goalkeeper Nguyen Hong Pham shared: "When I was young, just entering the Ho Chi Minh City Vocational Talent School, I considered Mr. Hiep as my idol to try to practice and hope to be like him one day. When mentioning Mr. Tran Van Hiep, people immediately think of a goalkeeper with a guardian body, dark skin, quick and decisive in coming and going, but also very tough, always making opposing strikers afraid every time they face him."

Former goalkeeper Duong Ngoc Hung recalled: "Tran Van Hiep had a strong, flexible body, good jumping ability, a wide range of activities and could control the 16m50 area. He was one of the best goalkeepers in the country at that time. In every match with Hiep as goalkeeper, the brothers in the front line were very confident and played enthusiastically."

Mr. Tran Van Hiep's coffin is in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City.

After retiring from football, Mr. Hiep continued to be invited by several places to work as a goalkeeper coach and trainer. However, after a stroke, the legendary goalkeeper of Ho Chi Minh City football quickly lost his health, had to use a wheelchair and was constantly in and out of the hospital for treatment.

After a long battle with a terrible disease, former goalkeeper Tran Van Hiep passed away at his home on the evening of February 15. His coffin was placed at 36/24 An Phu Dong 27, An Phu Dong Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thu-thanh-huyen-thoai-bong-da-tp-hcm-qua-doi-o-tuoi-65-196250216132701625.htm