Ton Duc Thang University students shine in the 2023 national first division

Students love football

Nguyen Le Minh Khoi ( Binh Thuan team) is the owner of the most beautiful goal of round 14 of the 2023 first division, with a long-range cannon shot from a distance of 30 meters that tore through the net of PVF CAND team. After scoring, he celebrated with his teammates and then ran to the technical area to hug Binh Thuan team head coach Nguyen Minh Dung.

Student Minh Khoi (8) scored the most beautiful goal in round 14 of the 2023 national first division

Looking at their actions, eyes and gestures towards each other, one feels that it is not simply a relationship between teacher and student. Only after asking did one know that they were father and son.

In the first moments of the conversation, we did not know that Minh Khoi was the son of coach Nguyen Minh Dung. Only when asked who had inspired his passion for football when he was young, Khoi revealed, "It was my father, my current coach."

“My father instilled in me his passion but did not want me to play football. He had been in the profession for decades and knew that football had its difficulties and hardships. He wanted me to go to school. Because of my passion, I asked my family to let me go to school and then passed the entrance exam to Binh Duong .”

Student Minh Khoi said he only practiced with the Binh Duong youth team until the end of the U.15 group. Following his parents' advice, he temporarily stopped playing football to focus on studying. "At that time, the Binh Duong U.15 team was about to be transferred to the upper level managed by Becamex company. Their headquarters is in Ben Cat. My parents were afraid that I would be too far away to manage, so they advised me to stop playing football and stay home to study."

Coach Minh Dung (left cover) in Binh Thuan team shirt

Seeing his teammates promoted to the youth team while he had to leave, Minh Khoi felt regretful. But he still listened to his family's advice.

Unlike many players, who are busy practicing and competing, causing them to neglect their studies, Minh Khoi studies very well. “For 12 consecutive years, I have been an excellent student. Because of this, my mother is very confused. Half wants me to stay home and go to school, the other half wants me to play football to follow my passion.

When I was at home, I still did not give up my passion for football. There were many days when I went out to play football with my friends from 3pm until 9pm before coming home. However, I still made sure to study.

After finishing grade 12, I passed the entrance exam to the Environmental Engineering Technology major at Ton Duc Thang University,” shared the player who won third place in the 2015 national youth tournament with U.13 Binh Duong.

Followed father to Binh Thuan to play professional football

Minh Khoi (red shirt) has the opportunity to face Viettel FC in the National Cup

In college, Minh Khoi's passion for football was further developed. He spent more and more time on football. Because of this, his academic performance was significantly affected.

Seeing his son's great interest, Coach Minh Dung said: "If you are passionate, follow me to Binh Thuan to play in the first division. But only for 1 year. After 1 year, you must return to finish university and then we can continue." Khoi happily accepted the beautiful offer like a dream.

After playing all the 7-a-side and 11-a-side national tournaments for Ton Duc Thang University in December 2022, Minh Khoi packed his bags and headed to the Central region to join the Binh Thuan team. At first, he also encountered many difficulties. Most notably, the training intensity was quite heavy compared to a player coming from a student environment.

However, Minh Khoi did not hesitate at all. He wanted to prove that he was worthy of his father's trust. "Having my father as head coach is a great fortune for me personally. My father has been in the profession for many years, instructing and guiding me on what to do and what not to do. It is not easy for a student player like me to have the opportunity to play professionally in his first year of playing," he said.

When asked if he was afraid of criticism from his teammates as the son of a head coach, Minh Khoi confidently said: “My father has been a coach for many years so he is very understanding. On the field, my father is always fair. Besides, I have been used to this since I was little. My father used to coach me in the Binh Duong youth team.

If I make a mistake, I am always the one who gets scolded the most and harshly. My father rarely overestimates my abilities. But I am not angry with him. I understand why he does that. I always try my best to prove that I am on the field because of my ability.”

Up to now, the Ton Duc Thang University student has played 13/14 matches of Binh Thuan, half of which were in the starting lineup. His favorite position is central midfielder, where he can show his strengths in the ability to compete and launch attacks.

In addition to the super goal against PVF, this player also had an assist in Binh Thuan's 3-2 win over Phu Dong in round 13.

He admitted that he still has weaknesses in physical strength and mental strength. Many times, Khoi could not control himself, got angry and received yellow cards from the referee (4 cards since the beginning of the season). Coach Minh Dung had to constantly remind him from the technical cabin.

Minh Khoi (left) has a very good physique.

Talking about his upcoming goals, the midfielder born in 2002 shared: “My personal goal is to learn and experience the professional football environment. I stopped studying for a year so I want to make the most of this time to improve my abilities.

After this season, I will return to school as promised to my family. Football is not stable. In the future, if I cannot get into V-League, I will return to life, with a professional degree to work.

As for the common goal with Binh Thuan, we are determined to help the team stay in the first season of the first division," Khoi expressed.

Sharing with us on August 6, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Long - team manager and also a teacher of the Faculty of Sports Science at Ton Duc Thang University, confirmed that Nguyen Le Minh Khoi is a member of his school's team. He said that his student asked to reserve 1 semester to play in the first division. On August 28, this midfielder will return to Ton Duc Thang University to continue completing his unfinished subjects. Let's wait and see in the next few years, whether Coach Nguyen Minh Dung's son can become a professional player as he wishes.

What did coach Nguyen Minh Dung say about his son?

"I have been playing football for many years so I understand the hardships of the profession. When it comes to my children, I want them to go to school properly so that they can have a stable job after graduation. This time I sent my child to Binh Thuan because he loves it so much.

He was so busy playing soccer that he couldn’t study at school. He had to repeat a subject. He asked to defer for a year so that he could repeat it the following year. When Khoi asked his father to go to Binh Thuan to give him a challenge, his mother and aunts reacted very strongly. It wasn’t like he was going anywhere.

When he was young, Khoi was called up to the national U15 team but I made him stay home and study. I thought Khoi's ability was only average. Going to school and getting a degree was still more stable. My wife and I still hold this opinion.

I encouraged my son to study hard, get a degree, and at 23-24, if he still loves football, he can still play. His ability to play in the first division is fine. If he works hard and learns for 2 more seasons, he can play in the V-League.

It's a bit slow but has form and technique.

Before, I worked for Binh Phuoc youth team, I brought Khoi to practice for a few days, coach Minh Phuong (who was still working here at that time) expressed his satisfaction. Phuong said to let Khoi join Binh Phuoc first team to practice with the others. But I just smiled and replied "you forgive him, let him go to school". Now let Khoi go back to school".

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