Vũ Ngọc Nam (left) brings Việt Nam to the world with artistic football. Photos SPORT

HÀ NỘI — Vũ Ngọc Nam made history as the youngest Vietnamese athlete ever to take part in the prestigious Super Ball, the biggest open competition on the freestyle football global circuit.

The tournament, held in Prague, Czech Republic last week, brought together 429 of the world's best artistic footballers.

At 21 years old, Nam, a student at the Academy of Journalism and Communication, competed in the routine category. This category showcases individual mastery, where athletes demonstrate their skills alongside music to impress and entertain the audience.

Vũ Ngọc Nam performs in the Super Ball 2023 in the Czech Republic.

Nam finished seventh among a strong field of athletes from Germany, the US, and Japan. However, he made a lasting impression in his debut appearance at the event with his Vietnamese costume and the iconic Vietnamese conical hat. In his performance, he skillfully incorporated the conical hat into his routine, combining it with the ball to execute various challenging techniques, earning high praise from the judges for his creativity.

"The most gratifying thing for me is that after my performance, many international spectators expressed their admiration for Việt Nam. Several athletes even borrowed my hat to take pictures as a souvenir. In the next season, I will strive to improve and secure a spot in the finals," Nam said.

Vũ Ngọc Nam competes in the routine category.

Freestyle football is developing fast in Việt Nam.

Freestyle football originated from street football, allowing players to showcase incredible tricks using their bodies like circus performers. In Việt Nam, the sport has been rapidly growing. In 2008, Vietnamese-Irish Nguyễn Hoài Nam, a world freestyle football champion, returned to Việt Nam and established the "Around The World" club. He organised Việt Nam's first freestyle football forum and orchestrated performances to promote the sport. VNS