Not just a match, the competition of U23 Vietnam has become a true cultural and sports festival in Huu Bang craft village (Huu Bang commune, Hanoi), where thousands of people have put aside their work, gathered around the communal house yard to cheer and cheer together.
Since the U23 Vietnam team had not yet entered the match time, the communal house area of Huu Bang village has been filled with laughter. People gathered very early, bringing national flags, banners, drums, trumpets to cheer for the young players, especially Nguyen Hieu Minh, a child of the village who is wearing the U23 Vietnam jersey.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh (born in 1982, Ban Giua village), right from the evening of January 19, 2026, after completing the stage installation, the Organizing Committee organized a music night "home-grown" to serve nearly 3,000 people in the village. "It has been a long time since the village has had such a lively and connected community activity," Mr. Vinh shared.
Huu Bang is originally a traditional craft village, the daily rhythm of life is associated with production and trade. However, cultural and sports activities are always preserved by the people as an indispensable part. After working hours, people play chess, football together, participate in cultural and artistic activities, considering it a characteristic spiritual activity of the village.
To have a large-scale event with a large LED screen, a modern sound system serving thousands of fans, more than 100 village "child" born in 1982 joined hands with philanthropists to take care of it. All of this stems from the pride when the village has players participating in the national U23 team.
For the people of Huu Bang, that joy is not only victory or result on the football field, but also encouragement and inspiration for the young generation in the village to dare to nurture dreams, pursue passion, bring glory to the Fatherland and succeed for themselves.
According to reporters' records, from 7 pm, the yard of Huu Bang communal house was full of people. At about 8:30 pm, all seats were crowded, and many people who came later had to stand and watch.
While waiting for the U23 Asian Championship semi-final match between Vietnam and China, in addition to singers and artists invited to serve the people, the Organizing Committee also integrated games related to sports, craft village history, and also gave lucky money to the elderly present, creating a warm, joyful and rustic atmosphere in the Northern region.
Winning or losing is a common occurrence in sports, but for the people of Huu Bang, the most important thing is the wholehearted fighting spirit of young players for the colors of the flag, bringing fans beautiful matches and the common pride of national sports," Mr. Vinh shared.
