The disabled fan and his burning love for Vietnamese football

In early March, the news that the men's football team would compete at Go Dau Stadium made thousands of fans in Binh Duong eagerly wait. In particular, mother and son Dinh Thi Lan (59 years old) and her son Chu Trong Vinh (36 years old), two familiar fans in the stands of Go Dau Stadium every time there were matches.

During the day, they roam the streets of Binh Duong selling lottery tickets to make a living. At night, the soccer field becomes a resting place, where the mother and daughter's intense love for the king of sports is lit up through each cheer and passionate gaze following the round ball.

Ms. Lan, from her hometown Trieu Son (Thanh Hoa) came to Binh Duong to sell lottery tickets to earn a living and treat her son's illness. Vinh suffered from muscular atrophy since he was a child, and together they went through many difficult years at major hospitals. Life was full of challenges, but Vinh still maintained his strong passion for football.

Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Vinh has never given up his love for football. In every match in Binh Duong, he always appears with a bright smile, next to his mother, who always accompanies and supports him to get closer to the football field.

Mrs. Lan, also a football fan, often pushes Vinh in a wheelchair to Go Dau Stadium. For Vinh, living in the passionate rhythm of football and being with his mother is the greatest happiness.

"Every time there is a football match at Go Dau Stadium, especially when Thanh Hoa football team visits Binh Duong, I always see Vinh and his mother come to Ba Temple earlier than usual. I saw them come here to sell lottery tickets from 5am. They sell early so that they can go to the stadium to watch football," said Mr. Chuong (58 years old), a resident and worker at Ba Thien Hau Temple.

The day they heard the news that the Vietnamese team would compete in Binh Duong, Mrs. Lan and Vinh could not hide their emotions. Previously, when he went to Hanoi with his mother for medical treatment, Vinh had wished to set foot in My Dinh Stadium one day and witness the "golden star warriors" fighting hard on the field.

The red flag shirt with yellow star signed by Tien Linh and several other players is a priceless gift, symbolizing Vinh's burning passion.

Before the Vietnamese team took the field, Mrs. Lan carefully changed Vinh's shirt, preparing to go to the field with her son to cheer for the team.

The image of a mother pushing her child in a wheelchair to the football field has become familiar to the people of Binh Duong.

"Unlike his peers, when Vinh was 7, he could not move or run like other children. In 1995, although my family did not have much money, Vinh's father still tried to save money to buy him a TV to watch football, helping his son satisfy his passion," said Ms. Lan.

On the day coach Kim Sang Sik and his team faced Cambodia and Laos, Vinh and his mother arrived at the stadium very early to cheer. These were not only important matches but also priceless moments when Vinh's dream became a reality.

The police officers enthusiastically helped Vinh and his mother get into the stadium to watch football.

Vinh looked eagerly at the players who were walking onto the field to prepare for the match.

As the match began, the stadium was filled with excitement. Vinh sat next to his mother, his eyes filled with emotion.

When the national anthem was played, Vinh and his mother sang proudly with thousands of fans. At this moment, all limits and difficulties seemed to disappear, leaving only the burning love for the round ball and the sacred pride in the colors of the Vietnamese flag.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/chang-co-dong-vien-khuet-tat-va-tinh-yeu-chay-bong-voi-bong-da-viet-nam-20250326083019187.htm