Mr. Mai Duc Chung (born in 1951) was one of the players who participated in the first match between the North and the South after the country's reunification. That was the historic match between the General Department of Railways and the Saigon Port team at Thong Nhat Stadium (the General Department of Railways won 2-0) in 1976.

Coach Mai Duc Chung, who played as a striker at that time, also scored the opening goal in the historic match, thereby becoming the first person to score a goal at Thong Nhat Stadium after the country's reunification.

It is amazing that Mr. Mai Duc Chung has been continuously involved in top-levelfootball since then until today, going through many different roles including player, men's football coach, women's football coach, football manager (former head of the Football Department, under the General Department of Sports and Physical Training).

Coach Mai Duc Chung is a witness to history throughout the past 50 years, since the country's reunification. One afternoon in April, this respected coach talked to Dan Tri reporter about the half-century journey of domestic football.

Coach Mai Duc Chung was the one who scored the first goal at Thong Nhat Stadium, in the match between two teams from the South and the North, after the country's Reunification Day (Photo: Do ​​Minh Quan).

Witness of history

Over the past 50 years, witnessing many ups and downs of Vietnamese football, what are the most memorable memories for you?

- There is a memory that I will probably never forget. One day in 1976, we, members of the General Department of Railways team, walked out to the Thong Nhat stadium filled with spectators. We had the first match between two teams from the North and the South, the General Department of Railways team against the Saigon Port team.

I remember clearly, that day, the one leading us was Mr. Tran Duy Long (former coach of the Vietnam national team, former acting president of the Ho Chi Minh City Football Federation), playing next to me were Mr. Le Thuy Hai, Pham Ky Thuy, Hoang Gia, Le Khac Chinh...

At the other end of the field were Pham Huynh Tam Lang, Le Dinh Thang, Duong Van Tha, Nguyen Van Ngon, and goalkeeper Luu Kim Hoang. Before that, we knew each other's names and admired each other's talents, but meeting each other directly on the field was the first time it happened.

That year will be a memory that I will never forget. For me, it was more than just a match. Even now, every time I think about it, I still feel emotional. That match gave me an emotion that is hard to describe in words.

Since that historic match, since the country's reunification, 50 years have passed. How hasVietnamese football changed? How has the position of Vietnamese football on the international stage changed, sir?

- We have changed a lot, we now have a position that I think is respected by football in Southeast Asia, in Asia and even on a world level. I am a professional, I am lucky to have contact with the international football community, they themselves told me that they respect and admire the rise of Vietnamese football.

Vietnam women's football team faces the US team at the 2023 World Cup (Photo: AFC).

That is also the next profound memory that I want to mention. In 2023, Vietnamese women's football will participate in the World Cup. A year before, FIFA held a conference to prepare for this tournament in New Zealand. The conference was chaired by FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

Do you know what the first thing the FIFA General Secretary does when he enters the conference room is? - He looks around the conference room and asks in a very inquisitive manner: "Where is the Vietnamese representative?". I slowly raise my hand and answer proudly: "Here I am! We are here!".

That moment is hard to describe, really emotional and really proud. We have proven to the world that we have done it, we have reached where we need to be. Vietnamese football has left its mark on the World Cup arena.

Vietnamese football "changes skin"

Back to domestic football, to reach the World Cup arena, what specific changes has Vietnamese football made?

- First, the most important change is the life of the players. I have experienced the 50-year journey of Vietnamese football, I have seen a clear change. Vietnamese players have received more attention in the past, the lives of the players have become better and better, helping them feel secure in their dedication.

The development of science and technology, of medicine, and the economic development of the country help Vietnamese football develop. Vietnamese football has changed dramatically. The professional level of the players has increased, and the general level of the entire football industry has increased.

In addition, the country's economic development also helps Vietnamese players have more opportunities to train abroad, compete more, helping them improve their skills. This is the point where the current players are much better than the players of my time. In Southeast Asia alone, our position is in the top group.

Perhaps we should talk a little more about the transformation of Vietnamese football in the Southeast Asian arena, because this is where viewers can most clearly see the very positive changes of Vietnamese football?

- That's right! Let's recall the first SEA Games when Vietnamese football returned to the regional arena. In the early 1990s, when we first reintegrated into Southeast Asian football, we were very weak.

Winning the AFF Cup 2024 shows the position of Vietnamese football in Southeast Asia (Photo: Huong Duong).

A few years after that day, we became stronger, joining the group that regularly competes for medals. However, during that time, Vietnamese football still feared Thai football. Then, a few more years later, we gradually knocked Thailand out of the exclusive position of regional football.

Nowadays, Vietnamese players are no longer afraid of Thai players. We have all of that thanks to the general development of the entire football industry. As I said, the players have better economic conditions, are trained and compete internationally regularly, so they are used to pressure, they are not afraid of any opponent.

Or just like the recent U17 Asian Cup. The U17 Vietnam team was not completely successful, but honestly, watching them compete, as a professional like me, I have nothing to criticize. The U17 Vietnam team was undefeated against representatives from Japan, Australia, and the UAE. How many teams in Asia can do that!

The potential for development is still very large.

Does that mean the development of Vietnamese football is a comprehensive development, progressing in many different aspects and aspects?

- Now let's look at many neighboring football regions, not all football regions develop very evenly from men's football, to women's football, then futsal, then youth teams like in Vietnam. Men's football won the AFF Cup 3 times and always went far in the Asian tournament, women's football won the regional championship many times and holds the record for winning the Gold Medal at the SEA Games.

We have tickets to the Women's World Cup (2023), to the Youth World Cup (U20 in 2017), to the Futsal World Cup (2016, 2021). Not every football team in Asia can do the same.

Coach Mai Duc Chung believes in the great development potential of Vietnamese football (Photo: Hai Long).

Of course, we are not perfect. Objectively speaking, it is impossible to become perfect immediately, not in a day or two. However, we cannot deny the efforts and hard work of those working in domestic football. They always try to correct mistakes, try to do better, try to improve step by step the quality of Vietnamese football.

Let's look at the domestic tournament, at the youth training, at the teams in the international arena, we will see that Vietnamese football is changing in a positive direction. That is internationally recognized, so we cannot deny the efforts of those working in football, from the club level to the management level with a comprehensive vision.

Does that mean we are on the right track, and for Vietnamese football to develop better, what do we need to do, sir?

- Promote investment from localities and sectors, and at the same time do better in socializing football. For top-level football to develop, the movement must be widespread. This is the path that many leading football nations in the world and Asia are taking.

Among them, the broadest and most fundamental way to develop is to bring football into schools. If we can do this, our source of players will be very large, the selection when reaching the top will be very high, very beneficial for Vietnamese football.

Then there is the matter of improving the stature of the players. This issue is of course part of the general strategy of developing the stature of Vietnamese people. That is why it is said that developing football is not just a matter of a day or two.

Football has become the pride of the Vietnamese people (Photo: Manh Quan).

In addition, we should not ignore the resource of overseas Vietnamese players. That is a huge resource and I believe that our overseas Vietnamese also desire and are proud to contribute to their homeland in many fields, including football. Both men's and women's football need resources from overseas Vietnamese players.

Speaking of women's football, as the coach of the Vietnamese women's team, what are you worried about?

- I am trying to rejuvenate the women's team, trying to find more young players for the Vietnam women's team. In a short time, when I retire from the team due to age, the Vietnam women's team will always have enough players to succeed me.

But to have a source of young players for women's football, as I said, the women's football movement must be widespread. We need more teams to participate in women's football tournaments. The more teams participate, the more players we have to screen.

At the time the Vietnamese women's football team participated in the 2023 World Cup, we only had 6 teams participating in the national women's football championship, that number was too modest, so modest that the World Cup was surprised. No football country has participated in the World Cup with such a small number of teams competing at the top level.

That is what I am concerned about. I hope to see women's football develop alongside men's football, with each men's football club having its own women's team, like the major football nations in the world. If that can be done, Vietnamese women's football will reign at the top of Southeast Asia for many more years, and will get closer to the Asian level!

Thank you for the interview and thank you for all that you have contributed to Vietnamese football for 50 years!

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-mai-duc-chung-50-nam-qua-bong-da-viet-nam-khien-the-gioi-ne-phuc-20250424020320117.htm