Prime Minister: Football inspires patriotism, national pride
Football has inspired patriotism and national pride, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on December 21 when hosting the national football team and head coach Park Hang-seo who have just won the trophy of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2018.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) shakes hands with head coach Park Hang-seo (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Football has inspired patriotism and national pride,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on December 21 when hosting the nationalfootball team and head coach Park Hang-seo who have just won the trophy of theASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup 2018.
PM Phuc praised head coach Park, other coaches of the national footballsquad, and especially the players for their efforts to bring home the victory.
Thanking for the great encouragement and support by the Governmentleader and Vietnamese people, Park said that the triumph belongs to not onlythe team but also all Vietnamese people.
The AFF champion is an important milestone, he said, but adding that heand the whole team are eyeing a higher target that is an Asian champion. “I andmy players will try our best to achieve this target,” Park stressed.
The PM stated that high hope has been pinned on the national footballteam as well as the development of Vietnamese football.
He asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to direct theVietnam Football Federation (VFF) to make necessary preparations in terms ofpolicies for the head coach and players so that they could have betterperformances at the following tournaments.
The General Department of Sports and Physical Training was requested toconsider a legal framework for the development of sports in general andfootball in particular.
On this occasion, PM Phuc granted a Friendship Order to head coach ParkHang-seo and a first-class Labour Order to the national football team.
Nguyen Quang Hai, the Most Valuable Player of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018,received a second-class Labour Order, while 15 other members of the team werepresented with third-class Labour Orders.
The PM also bestowed certificates of merit on 17 members of the team inrecognition of their contributions to the victory.
At the event, Do Quang Hien, Chairman of T&T Group, announced abonus of 3 billion VND (128,700 USD) for members of the national footballteam.-VNA
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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) shakes hands with head coach Park Hang-seo (Source: VNA) 
