Speaking of Nguyen Chi Bao, no football fan in Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country can forget a small player, always playing close to the right wing, attacking and defending rhythmically, strongly and having bold kicks with many lightning shots that surprised opponents and brought many interesting emotions.
In the early 90s of the last century, Chi Bao was one of the rare players who played for 3 Ho Chi Minh City football teams: Customs, Saigon Port and Ho Chi Minh City Police in just 4 seasons. He won 2 national championships in 1993 - 1994 after Saigon Port defeated Ho Chi Minh City Police 2-0 in the final match. Then, with teammates Le Huynh Duc, Tran Minh Chien, Nguyen Liem Thanh, Chau Tri Cuong, he overcame Hue to win the championship in 1995.
Chi Bao (seated row, left cover), Liem Thanh (seated row, right cover) with Huynh Duc, Minh Chien in the colors of the Vietnam national team and Ho Chi Minh City Police
At that time, Chi Bao was called by coach Weigang to join the Vietnamese team to participate in the 18th SEA Games in Chiangmai in 1995 and then the 1996 Tiger Cup in Singapore. Wearing the familiar number 3 shirt, Chi Bao played aggressively with endurance, patience and flexibility. When defense was needed, the German coach arranged for Chi Bao to start on the right wing, and when the formation moved in an attacking direction, Chi Bao was pushed up as a midfielder so that Tran Cong Minh could play on the right wing. Regardless of the role, this small midfielder, only 1.60 m tall, always completed the task excellently, showing intelligence, dexterity and playing extremely cunningly.
Coach Weigang himself, when he was alive, once said: "Chi Bao is not a steel defender, but his spirit and tenacity are beyond reproach. When the ball reaches his feet, the opponent immediately has trouble because of Chi Bao's energetic and passionate playing style. Especially, Chi Bao's crosses and sidelines have a very high damage rate". Coach Nguyen Kim Hang (he has passed away) of the Hai Quan team at that time also commented: " Chi Bao is not tall but anyone who faces him must be wary because of his fierce dribbling, it is very difficult to get the ball from his feet. Chi Bao deserves to be the tornado of the sidelines of Vietnamese football".
Nguyen Chi Bao always stays optimistic while sick
I still remember in early January 1996 when Thanh Nien Newspaper organized a meeting to celebrate the newspaper's founding anniversary at the New World Hotel, many national players came to celebrate, including the duo Chi Bao and Liem Thanh who went together. Both had just returned after winning the SEA Games silver medal in Thailand. At that time, I asked Chi Bao, where did he get the energy to play so well from such a small figure, and this talented defender immediately said: "It's not just me, but Vietnamese football also has many small players who play well like Ho Van Loi or Lu Dinh Tuan. Simply because we always know how to turn our disadvantages into fiery football that attracts everyone with determination, always concentrate highly in the match and play with all our hearts. Combined with our inherent technical foundation and speed through our feet, we always know how to create opportunities ourselves."
Chi Bao when he was a player
That reasonable comment has shaped a modest Chi Bao, playing football as naturally as breathing. But Chi Bao has a weakness, which is his temper. In the final match of the national championship at Cao Lanh stadium in 1996 after returning from the Tiger Cup, he got into an incident, so his career soon had to take a turn.
Chi Bao (3rd from right, sitting row) at SEA Games 1995
Chi Bao's football career was severely affected when he was no longer called up to the national team and his career soon ended in the early 2000s and he was forced to leave the Ho Chi Minh City Police team and then the Post Office team. Actually, at that time, there were a few teams that wanted Chi Bao to continue playing, but he firmly said no and accepted to step back and apply to become a postman. "Although I can no longer play football at the highest level and have lost the motivation to revive my career, I still follow my teammates and juniors and wholeheartedly cheer for the Vietnamese team in major tournaments of the continent and the world," Chi Bao once told me.
Nguyen Chi Bao, despite retiring from the football field for more than 20 years, still has a passionate love for football.
This quiet work, combined with the difficult life when Chi Bao had to live in a cramped house on Bui Minh Truc Street (District 8, Ho Chi Minh City) with his brothers' families, made Chi Bao look older than his age. However, Chi Bao rarely complained and still spent his weekends playing amateur football with his old teammates. Two years ago, he worked as a security guard for a Mobifone store on To Hien Thanh Street (District 10), still wearing a shirt with the national team flag. He succumbed to a terrible disease and passed away at the age of 51.
Chi Bao and the number 3 shirt in the Vietnam national team
Farewell to him, the "border tornado" who made great contributions, deeply engraved in the minds of fans in the late 90s of the last century. He can be proud of many goals scored by Huynh Duc, Minh Chien, Liem Thanh in the Ho Chi Minh City Police team or Huynh Quoc Cuong, Trinh Tan Thanh, Nguyen Hong Son in the national team, who had his mark of passing and assisting. Although his career was not long, Chi Bao's contributions always have value and a great place in everyone's heart.
May you go in peace!
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