Football

Trần Quốc Tuấn has been voted new president of the Việt Nam Football Federation. Photo courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI The newly elected president of the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF), Trần Quốc Tuấn, has set lofty goals for the national team during his four-year tenure.

He wants the teams to be a permanent fixture in the top ten sides in Asia and qualify for a World Cup as soon as possible, earmarking the 2026 and 2030 events as his targets.

Tuấn, who was previously acting president, received 100 per cent agreement from delegates to be new leader at the federation's ninth congress held in Hà Nội on Sunday.

"I am honoured to be voted president, an important but heavy pressure position in the federation," Tuấn told reporters.

"Recently, Vietnamese football has made impressive achievements internationally. We have succeeded in both men's and women's football and futsal at the regional SEA Games and winning a place at World Cup for the women footballers while junior teams grabbed slots in continental championship in the last 12 months.

"These achievements put me under high pressure in my new position. In our term, we need to map out plans to strongly push our results to make us Asian top 10 and at the same time set sights on World Cups in 2026 and 2030,” he said.

VFF President Trần Quốc Tuấn promised to take Việt Nam to higher levels in international competitions. — Photo courtesy of VFF

Tuấn has been working in football for more than 20 years. He has held key positions in the VFF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since 2001. He is currently a member of the AFC Executive Committee and chairman of the AFC’s Competitions Committee.

Also at the congress, delegates voted Trần Anh Tú as VFF Vice President in charge of profession; Nguyễn Trung Kiên as Vice President for finance and sponsorship and Nguyễn Xuân Vũ as Vice President of Public Relations and Communication; and 13 members of the VFF's Executive Committee.

Vice President Tú said that the success of Vietnamese football achieved by the VFF was a big challenge for him individually and the new executive committee to repeat. His task will be to ensure even higher results.

"Our teams must at least earn the same results or better in the next four years. It will be a tough mission for us," he said.

Meanwhile Vice President Kiên promised to send national squads to train and compete abroad while V.League clubs will enjoy intensive practise courses in the German Bundesliga. He pledged to increase income by 50 per cent over the next four years. The federation earned and set a record of more than VNĐ1,000 billion (US$40 million) in the previous term.

Vice President for finance and sponsorship Nguyễn Trung Kiên speaks to the media at the VFF ninth congress on Sunday. Photo baogiaothong.vn

"I have won the election. I will begin to build my plans and cooperate with other departments of the VFF to reach my target," said Kiên.

At the same time, Vice President Vũ praised current communication activities and said he would push the work harder during his reign.

"In my plan, apart from the professional leagues and national teams, lower domestic tournaments and women's football should receive more attention," he said.

"I will seek partners to work together in broadcasting live events, which will popularise their image to wider community.

"I will provide the most favourable working conditions for media and respond quickly to demands to make sure journalists will have updated news and images of Vietnamese teams in all competitions. The AFF Cup and the women's World Cup will also help to popularise Việt Nam football to the world."

The VFF executive committee also had their first meeting on Sunday and discussed several issues, in which Dương Nghiệp Khôi has been appointed General Secretary following the suggestion of President Tuấn. He replaced Lê Hoài Anh who was at the position in two terms. Anh will be Tuấn's assistant in this term.

"I have receive trust from the executive committee to take this position. Back in action in the VFF feels like I am coming home," said the former deputy general secretary who asked to retire four years ago.

"I feel a heavy responsibility as the General Secretary because VFF is one of leading federations in the region. I promise to contribute my best for national football."

In other activities, committee members talked about national teams' list of to-do tasks in the coming years and some changes in the regulation of national tournaments in which overseas Vietnamese players will have chance to play in women's football and futsal tournaments from 2023. VNS