The 9th Vietnam Former Footballers Festival 2025 in Dong Nai
On the afternoon of December 20, at Binh Phuoc Stadium (Binh Phuoc Ward, Dong Nai Province), the 9th Vietnam Former Footballers Festival 2025 took place in a vibrant and warm atmosphere. This meaningful annual event was jointly organised by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Vietnam Former Footballers Association, with the support of the host unit, Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Football Joint Stock Company.
22/12/2025 17:10:43
Representing the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) at the opening ceremony was Mr Nguyen Xuan Vu, Vice President of the VFF. The ceremony was also attended by local leaders and members of the organising committee, including Mr Nguyen Khac Vinh, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr Pham Thanh Nam, Standing Vice Chairman of Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Football Club; Mr Do Lam Sinh, Vice Chairman of Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Football Club; and Mr Le Van Binh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Truong Tuoi Dong Nai Football Club.
Also present as representatives of the VFF leadership and the Vietnam Former Footballers Association were Mr Nguyen Xuan Vu, Vice President of the VFF; Mr Tran Huy Duc, Member of the VFF Executive Committee; Mr Tran Van Thanh, President of the Vietnam Former Footballers Association; and Mr Luu Quang Dien Bien, Head of the Department of Grassroots Football, National Teams and Competitions.
Local football fans in Dong Nai Province also came to watch and cheer for nearly 150 former players from three teams: Hong Ha (Northern region), Truong Son (Central region) and Cuu Long (Southern region).
This year marks the ninth time the Festival has been organised by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). The event has continued to serve as a reunion for multiple generations of players who have contributed to the building and development of Vietnamese football. Among them are many renowned figures closely associated with the history of the national game, as well as numerous former players who have recently joined the Vietnam Former Footballers Association to continue inspiring younger generations. These include Ho Thanh Cang, Luu Kim Hoang, Nguyen Hoang Minh, Hua Hien Triet, Duong Van Tha, Tran Vu, Nguyen Dinh Tho, Phan Cong Thin, Vu Ba Dong, Hoa Manh Hung, Tran Binh Su, Ho Van Tam, Lu Dinh Tuan, Vo Hoang Buu, Ngo Le Bang, Tran Minh Quang, Huynh Hong Son, Nguyen Hong Pham, among others, along with many players who have just retired from professional football and joined the Association to help spread passion and inspiration for the sport to young players.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, VFF Vice President Nguyen Xuan Vu noted that the Festival has become a fine tradition, providing an opportunity for exchange, gratitude and recognition of former generations of players, while also serving as a bridge to spread the love of football to younger generations. The VFF expects that cooperation between former players and youth football development programmes will continue to be strengthened in the coming time.
Immediately after the opening ceremony, three friendly matches took place among the former players representing Hong Ha, Truong Son and Cuu Long. As customary, the Festival does not place emphasis on results or the crowning of a champion; its greatest value lies in the spirit of unity, camaraderie and the joy of reunion shared by former players after many years of dedication to Vietnamese football.
The 9th Vietnam Former Footballers Festival continued to reaffirm the recognition and appreciation of the contributions made by previous generations, thereby nurturing a love for football and fostering football culture within the community.
