From kids “doing small things” on the field to the hero who made history for football
Inspirational stories
November 1996, in the Merseyside Derby between Liverpool and Everton, one of the biggest Derby in the world, a young boy with a slim build and a big smile stepped out with Everton captain Dave Watson, it was Wayne Rooney, who would later become a legend of the club. English football.
Like many other children of Merseyside, stepping on the field in a Derby match is a dream and a great honor for Wayne Rooney. It was also probably the most memorable moment for the boy who was a student at the Everton youth academy at that time.
A great character always knows how to leave an impression at first appearance. Before the match, Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall threw the ball to the mascot to kick a “lucky” ball as usual, unexpectedly the boy Rooney shot over the goalkeeper’s head and flew into the net in the surprise of the surrounding players. around. Rooney later recalled: “Neville Southall didn’t like it, he scolded me that the pony liked to show off.”
Rooney (The boy in blue) when accompanying the captain of Everton in the Premier League in 1996
From a boy full of personality like that, Rooney later rose to become a legend of world football. He is one of the 10 youngest players to score in the Premier League (against Arsenal at the age of 16 years and 360 days), was recruited by Manchester United for £ 27 million, becoming the most expensive “teen” player in the world. world at that time. In Manchester, Rooney really became a legend with 253 goals, 559 appearances, 5 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League, 1 Europa League, …
Vietnamese football also has a striker attached to the number 10 shirt at the moment and used to be a Mascot when he was a young player, that is Nguyen Cong Phuong. At the age of 14, Cong Phuong played with Lee Nguyen, one of the best midfielders ever playing in the V.League. That was the time when Lee Nguyen came to Nui Street with the position of a big star and Cong Phuong was an elite student of the first training course of HAGL JMG.
12 years later, Cong Phuong and Lee Nguyen faced each other at the two ends of the front line, when HAGL welcomed Ho Chi Minh City Club at V.League 2021. At this time, Cong Phuong has become the most beloved football star in Vietnam. Nam with many great achievements with the teams.
Cong Phuong and Lee Nguyen in 2009
Not only playing the role of Mascot, many other boys also participate in “small things” on the field, which is picking up the ball. Usually, this task will be assigned to young players. In the final second leg of the 2008 AFF Cup between Vietnam and Thailand, midfielder Duc Huy and midfielder Do Duy Manh also participated in that special role. Exactly 10 years later, both became champions of Southeast Asia. When the match ended, Duc Huy put on his shoulder a red flag with a yellow star, sat behind the billboard to “see” the dream come true and said: “10 years ago I was also sitting here”.
Duc Huy sits at the ball picking position to remember the AFF Cup 2008 anniversary after winning the championship in 2018 (Photo: Huyen Pham)
Dreams are lit
In 2008, when Vietnam won the AFF Cup for the first time, Quang Hai was still just a boy about to enter secondary school, Cong Phuong had just joined the HAGL JMG training academy, their peers were still young at that time. dreaming of Iphones without a front camera, or a set of Playstation 3… A lot of things have changed since then, so has Vietnamese football.
After the push at U23 Asia 2018, the fire with the round ball burned in the heart of every Vietnamese. The stadiums in the V.League had more spectators, some Vietnamese clubs such as Hanoi FC, Viettel, HAGL began to think about reaching the continent. For adults, Vietnamese football becomes an attractive story in daily meals or morning web surfing. With the children, they talked more about Van Thanh’s proud celebration, Quang Hai’s “rainbow in the snow” free kick, the dream of striding on the pitch was also rekindled.
Starting from attending football classes, to contributing a small part in matches such as making Mascot, handing the ball to the referee or picking up the ball, the children will have more love for sport, desire to follow. Pursuing the goal of becoming professional athletes like Wayne Rooney, Duc Huy, Duy Manh…
Some beautiful pictures of Mascot in the matches
At SEA Games 31, boys and girls across Vietnam will have the opportunity to accompany the players from the tunnel to the field through the program “Accompanying the players to the field”.
In the history of Vietnamese football, the 31st SEA Games was the first time to conduct a public selection of young fans from the community. Not only did the children experience the feeling of stepping out of the tunnel, the children also had the opportunity to hand the ball to the referee, saving priceless moments in the matches watched by the whole of Southeast Asia.
The activity of children playing with players at matches was started in the 90s, initiated by FIFA (World Football Federation) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) with the goal of honoring the rights of children. children’s interests (“Say YES for children”).
Besides, this is an opportunity to inspire and fire to children who have a passion for round balls. Who knew that one of the children who gave the ball at the 31st SEA Games this year could become a witness to the history of Vietnamese football in the next 10 years – a real success cycle of the country’s football.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: Soha.vn – Read the original article here
