Hanoi (VNA)🌄 – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with the men’s national football team of Vietnam in Hanoi on January 6, extending congratulations on the victory at the 2024 ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup.

During the tournament, the team played eight games, securing seven wins and one draw. In the finals, they won both the first- and second-leg matches against Thailand to obtain an aggregate result of 5 - 3 and bring home the trophy. This is the third time Vietnam has earned the title of the regional tourney. At the meeting, head coach Kim Sang Sik and captain Do Duy Manh thanked the Party and State leaders, along with ministries, sectors, localities and, especially, fans nationwide for their consistent support for the team. They said the 2024 ASEAN Cup trophy is a reward for the players’ efforts and also an achievement for the entire nation, pledging continued efforts to reach new heights and bring glory to the country. Recalling the team’s journey full of emotions to the championship, PM Chinh attributed this result to the whole team’s endeavours, the sports sector’s training process and, particularly, the heartfelt support from more than 100 million Vietnamese people in any circumstance. He highlighted the victory’s significance, noting this is the first time the team has brought home the trophy from another country, recorded no losses, and scored 21 goals – the best result of the team in this tournament so far. This is also the first time a Vietnamese player, Nguyen Xuan Son, has claimed both the “Most Valuable Player” and “Top Goal Scorer” awards. Meanwhile, Nguyen Dinh Trieu was named the “Best Goalkeeper”. Describing the victory as a great source of motivation and inspiration for the entire country and a demonstration of the aspiration to conquer new heights, the Government leader asked the team not to rest on their laurels but keep up efforts to secure more wins and reach higher targets, including at the Asian and World Cup tournaments. He also appreciated support from those working in the sports sector and people nationwide. On behalf of the Party and State leader, PM Chinh presented the first-class Labour Order to the men’s national football team, and the third-class Labour Order to six players with outstanding performance, namely Nguyen Xuan Son, Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Tien Linh, Nguyen Hoang Duc, and Nguyen Dinh Trieu. He also granted the PM’s certificates of merit to 29 individuals of the team. At the meeting, the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises rewarded the team with 5 billion VND (197,000 USD). The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group, and VPBank each presented 2 billion VND as bonus./.