PVF and Botafogo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the afternoon of 24/1 at PVF's center in Hung Yen. This partnership is a key initiative within PVF's international integration strategy, aiming to elevate the quality of its youth training programs to advanced global standards.

The core components of the cooperation agreement include the exchange of coaches and technical experts, the organization of joint training programs, competitions, and professional workshops. Botafogo will dispatch specialists to PVF, and may also provide players and experts to the PVF-CAND club.

Representatives of PVF and Botafogo exchange jerseys after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the PVF youth football training center in Hung Yen on 24/1/2026. *Photo: PVF*

During the initial phase of this collaboration, Botafogo will send experts to PVF to evaluate its training system, coaching methodologies, facilities, and operational model. In the subsequent phase, PVF representatives will travel to Brazil to observe Botafogo's training facilities firsthand, before finalizing specific training programs for the center's coaches and players.

Botafogo, established in 1904 in Rio de Janeiro, is one of Brazil's "12 big clubs". The team was ranked 12th in a FIFA Magazine readers' poll for the club of the century. In 2024, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) ranked Botafogo 5th among men's clubs globally.

Botafogo boasts an impressive record, with 21 Carioca championship titles from Rio de Janeiro state, three Brazilian National Championships (1968, 1995, 2024), and the Copa Libertadores in 2024. The club's rich history is intertwined with Brazilian football legends such as Nilton Santos, Garrincha, Didi, Zagallo, Jairzinho, and Carlos Alberto.

PVF, founded by Vingroup in 2008, relocated from TP HCM to Hung Yen in 2017 with an investment of approximately 30 million USD. In September 2020, the center achieved the AFC Three-Star Academy certification from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the highest recognition for youth football training quality. In June 2022, the center was transferred to the Ministry of Public Security. After 18 years, PVF has become a leading youth football training center in Vietnam, accumulating 18 championships and 12 runner-up titles in domestic youth competitions.

The center's first generation of players includes notable names like Ha Duc Chinh, Do Thanh Thinh, Ngo Tung Quoc, Bui Tien Dung, Ho Minh Di, and Truong Van Thai Quy. More recently, the 2003-2004 generation, featuring Nguyen Hieu Minh, Nguyen Xuan Bac, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Le Phat, and Vo Anh Quan, contributed to winning a gold medal at SEA Games 33 and a bronze medal at the U23 Asia 2026 tournament.

Hieu Luong