At the 2025 Saigon Dragon Cup National 7-a-side football tournament - South Central region (KPL-S4), Friendly club created a surprise when they won the championship and won a ticket to the finals held in Hanoi.
Coming to the final round is a dream, but it is also a headache for the team. Coach Chau Anh shared: "We didn't think we would go that far together, let alone win the championship. When winning the championship, the real emotions are both joyful and worried, because most of the players are students, without the means to travel to Hanoi to compete".
The story of students who take advantage of working part-time, some run motorbike taxi drivers, some work as shippers... to save money to play football in Hanoi - quickly received attention from the online community.
Hoang Viet and his teammates received support from many benefactors and their opponents in this year's tournament. Thien Khoi, Dien Bach Khoa Ninh Thuan or SHB FC... when they learned about Friendly's difficulties, joined hands to support and help.
We never thought the team would receive so much love. Every time they hear someone send support, whether they are in a hotel or eating, they cheer as if they have just scored a goal, the head coach of the team shared.
According to the original plan, the KPL-S4 champion will travel by plane to Hanoi to save time and maintain his health in competition. After the end of the tournament, the whole team will take a car or train back to Khanh Hoa because they do not have enough money. However, thanks to the cooperation of the amateur football community, the team was able to return by plane.
After the first two matches, Friendly has not had good results when losing to SHB FC and Da Lube. However, being present in a big playground like the VPL-S6 finals is like a dream for the players
"Coming to your dreams, students did not think you could participate in such a big and grand tournament. Coming to Hanoi, meeting the big guys, witnessing the professionalism of the tournament with my own eyes, for us, it was an invaluable experience, said Mr. Chau Anh.
From a student team that could almost not participate in the qualifying round of the South Central region due to lack of funding, Friendly FC overcame everything to participate in the big festival of grassroots football. It is not only an achievement, but also a dream come true, a fairy tale that comes from unforgettable efforts and faith.
Previously, when the VPL-S6 final round had not yet started, although Friendly's registration list had 20 people, only 15 members came to Hanoi to save all travel costs as much as possible.
To cover the extra cost of this trip, most players actively work part-time instead of practicing to prepare for VPL-S6.
