On the evening of 16/8, the home of Phan Thi Ha and Pham Xuan Linh in Van Du commune (formerly Minh Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district) was packed with neighbors gathered to watch the first leg of the ASEAN Cup semifinal between Vietnam and Malaysia. "Whenever the national team plays, our house becomes the village's gathering spot", said 60-year-old Ha, mother of Pham Xuan Manh, a defensive midfielder for the Vietnam national team.

To welcome everyone, Ha took a break from her work in the forest, prepared snacks, tea, and a large national flag for support. "Our son's effort brings joy to the village and helps our family have a stable life", Ha stated.

Player Xuan Manh takes his mother to visit Independence Palace, TP HCM, in 2018. *Family photo*

Linh and Ha have three children: two daughters and one son. From a young age, Xuan Manh helped his father drive the tractor, carry water, and deliver meals. Passionate about football since childhood, Manh often played with friends during sunny lunch breaks, then participated in local youth tournaments. Without money for a plastic ball, he would pick pomelos, roast them slightly to make them pliable, and use them to play.

In 2008, he impressed at the Bao Nghe An Cup while playing for Yen Thanh Youth team, thanks to his stamina and ball-handling skills. Afterward, Manh asked his parents to let him try out for the Song Lam Nghe An Club training academy. Ha drove her son over 60 km by motorbike to TP Vinh for enrollment. In the following months, she often rode her motorbike, bringing sweet potatoes and cakes to visit him.

The most memorable family anecdote occurred before the 2012 U17 National Championship, when Xuan Manh called his mother to ask for a pair of shoes costing 4 million dong. "For playing football, shoes are like feet. Even without money, we must borrow to buy them for our son", Ha told her husband, then borrowed 5 million dong to send.

Subsequently, the couple sold their family buffalo for 8 million dong to repay the debt, using the remainder to buy a small calf. For several years after that, neighbors had to lend their buffalo to the family for plowing while they waited for the calf to grow.

"When Manh learned that his parents had sold the buffalo to buy his shoes, he felt very guilty", Ha recalled. "He said if he had known, he wouldn't have asked for the money and promised to work hard at football to help the family overcome difficulties."

Xuan Manh and his wife with his parents (center) at their cafe's grand opening in 2025. *Family photo*

That year, Xuan Manh and U17 Song Lam Nghe An won the championship. He then helped his teammates achieve runner-up status in the U19 National Championship for two consecutive years, before participating in the 2018 U23 Asian Championship finals in Thuong Chau, China. At the tournament, despite initially being a backup for Van Hau, Xuan Manh fulfilled his role when trusted by coach Park Hang-seo. He started from the quarter-finals to the final, contributing significantly to U23 Vietnam's runner-up finish.

After the successful tournament in China, Xuan Manh posted a photo embracing his mother on social media with a message: "Mother, please don't cry anymore. Your life has been filled with too much hardship. Now, be happy because you have me as a strong emotional support. And you, my parents, are also the greatest motivation helping me overcome the most tiring moments. Be happy, now you can be proud of your son".

Following the tournament, Ha left Nghe An for the first time, traveling to TP HCM to welcome her son and attend the honoring ceremony. Xuan Manh took his mother to visit the city's famous landmarks and enjoy local delicacies.

Xuan Manh sent all his accumulated prize money home to help his parents repay debts and replace their old, dilapidated house with a new, spacious one. Although they still farm and work in the forest, Ha and her husband no longer face financial pressure with their son's support.

In 2021, their son married and gave them two grandchildren, a boy and a girl. "Every holiday, our son and his wife buy gifts for me", she shared.

In the ASEAN Cup 2026, the defender born in 1996 continues to be a starter. According to organizers, Xuan Manh is among the players with the most accurate passes in the group stage, completing 283 passes in four matches (an average of 71 passes per match, with an 89% accuracy rate).

During the 2-0 semifinal victory against Malaysia on 16/8, he had a dangerous header in the 77th minute. After the match, Ha revealed that the family is planning to travel to Ha Noi to attend the second leg at My Dinh Stadium on 19/8.

Pham Nga