At 7:00 a.m. on January 3, the writer woke up early and went to the old central market in Viet Tri city to buy some items.
During the 10-minute taxi ride, the tech driver was excited to know that I was a reporter, constantly asking how to take a photo with Xuan Son. He was also one of millions of fans who shared in the joy of victory, taking the opportunity to stop work and watch the final match in his hometown.
From the beginning of the market, the noisy bargaining continued as usual. But when the customers were quiet, they talked about Nguyen Xuan Son - a player of the Vietnam national team. The striker born in 1997 scored 2 goals in the first leg of the final, something that had never happened before in history.
After 27 years, the Vietnamese team has finally defeated Thailand at home - not Hang Day Stadium with its ups and downs, not My Dinh Stadium with its glory, but Viet Tri Stadium. Phu Tho people are proud to contribute their efforts and their faith to the matches at the ASEAN Cup 2024.
Xuan Son did something that few players can do. He inspired the fans' faith and touched the emotions of millions of Vietnamese people.
After all, football is a form of entertainment and fans want to enjoy the joy of victory. For the national team, it is also a story of national pride, a symbol of a country that is growing and integrating.
The Vietnamese team left Viet Tri early in the morning of January 3, with lingering regrets about the fiery atmosphere of football over the past month.
Now, Phu Tho people as well as millions of Vietnamese fans are waiting every second, every minute until the second leg of the final match in Thailand takes place.
On many flights from Hanoi to Bangkok (Thailand) on January 3, the captain and flight attendants sent their best wishes to all Vietnamese passengers. Anyone wearing football cheerleader uniforms received special attention. Everyone dreamed of the Southeast Asian championship trophy returning to Vietnam after 6 years.
Xuan Son scored 7 goals and 3 assists after 4 matches - becoming the biggest hope. Obviously, this player understands his role. Xuan Son infiltrates every single story, even those who probably don't watch football much.
As for the Vietnamese team, the image of each street filled with people and the national flag flying gave them the most special emotions: Champion, champion and champion.
