On the afternoon of 22/1, the small house of Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc in Yen Trung commune was livelier than usual. Although Vietnam U23 had just exited the semi-finals of the Asian tournament, for the 45-year-old mother, her son Nguyen Dinh Bac's journey remained a memorable achievement. It mirrored how the young striker overcame physical prejudices to become a professional footballer.

"Bac coi" (Skinny Bac) was the nickname associated with the childhood of the Vietnam U23 deputy captain. Born in 2004, Bac was passionate about football from a young age but always struggled with his physique compared to his friends. In 2018, his first major setback occurred when the Song Lam Nghe An training academy dismissed him after three years of training, stating: "He cannot grow bigger".

Dinh Bac with his mother and father Nguyen Dinh Ap, celebrating Quang Nam's championship win in the 2023 National First Division League. This season, Dinh Bac contributed 8 goals and 7 assists, earning the title of Best Player in the First Division. Photo: Supplied

"It was devastating news. The boy was completely heartbroken," Ms. Ngoc recalled. Out of love for her son, she scrambled to take Bac to the training academy of famous player Van Sy Hung in Cua Lo. But on the second day of training, Bac called his mother, his voice cracking: "Mom, I want to come home. I don't feel like playing football anymore".

Upon hearing Bac was returning home, coach Ho Thanh Thuong, a former prominent player for Song Lam Nghe An, called Ms. Ngoc. He said: "Why did you bring Bac home? He has a lot of potential". However, Ms. Ngoc indulged her son, believing that it would be difficult to pursue a long-term path with an unstable mindset, so she let Bac rest for a while.

One year later, coach Ho Thanh Thuong visited Bac at home but noticed the boy was "still as skinny as before". He introduced Bac to many places, but everywhere, the boy was rejected due to his small stature. Finally, the Quang Nam youth football center accepted the boy from Nghe An for training without emphasizing physical appearance.

Joining the Quang Nam training academy at the end of 2019, Bac called his mother just a few weeks later, wanting to return home because he couldn't integrate with the team.

The turning point arrived in early 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic erupted, stranding Bac in Quang Nam for seven months. It was during this period of social distancing that a miraculous transformation occurred.

Away from home, aware of his critical weakness, Bac plunged into intense training and established a strict nutrition regimen.

Ms. Ngoc revealed that her son's secret lay in his perseverance. "Every morning, after his run, Bac would personally prepare a dish of whisked egg with honey to eat. Even though he was utterly sick of it, he didn't miss a single meal for an entire year," she recounted. Combined with the coaching staff's high-intensity physical training program and supplementary milk sent by his family, Bac's body began to "shoot up".

Ms. Ngoc (center), cheering for Dinh Bac and Vietnam U23 during their match against China U23 on the evening of 20/1. Photo: Duc Hung

In August 2020, when Bac stepped out of the car at the entrance of Yen Trung village, Ms. Ngoc was stunned. The 1,5 m tall boy had now shot up to over 1,7 m, with a toned, muscular physique. "I held his hand, touched his legs, and couldn't believe my eyes. At home, I nurtured him endlessly, but he didn't grow, yet away from home, he blossomed so quickly," the mother laughed as she recalled. Currently, Dinh Bac is over 1,8 m tall, possessing the ideal physique for a modern striker.

Not only did he grow physically, but Ms. Ngoc also saw her son "grow" in his mindset after facing challenges. Recalling the period when Bac faced public pressure due to "star syndrome" after the 2023 Asian Cup, Ms. Ngoc stated that it was a necessary period of reflection. While tidying his room, she accidentally read a diary meticulously detailing each training session and the times he cried secretly due to pressure.

"I put the notebook back in its place, pretending I knew nothing to preserve his privacy. But I understood that behind his tough exterior on the field was an introverted child who always yearned to prove himself," Ms. Ngoc confided.

Now, witnessing her son shine with three goals at the 2026 U23 Asian Championship finals, Ms. Ngoc believes that the very days he was rejected for being small forged the resilient and determined Dinh Bac of today.

Duc Hung