In the vibrant setting of the Northern U14 2025/2026 competition, a young athlete’s gesture of lifting his jersey to show a meaningful message generated a ripple effect, turning into a deeply human message spreading powerfully through Vietnam’s youth football scene.
At the Northern U14 2025/26 tournament, often described as a “mini V-League” for 13-14 year-olds, spectators witnessed a unique, simple yet emotional celebration that briefly silenced the entire stadium.
Behind that moment was the story of player Lý Trung Hiếu from the Hanoi U14 team. While celebrating with his teammates, Hiếu pulled up his jersey to reveal a handwritten message “Please Dad, stop drinking beer”on the inner shirt. Without shouting or showing off, just a few small words conveyed a sincere message of love that deeply moved and touched the audience like never before.
According to the Hanoi U14 coaching staff, Trung Hiếu is a caring boy who worries about his father’s beer-drinking habit that could harm his health. He had advised him many times but lacked the courage to speak directly. This time, he chose football as a bridge, using the match moment to express what words could not.
This moment quickly spread across social networks, receiving thousands of shares along with touching comments: “If kids can think like this, what about adults?”,“Football becomes more beautiful with meaningful moments like this.”Many called this the “most memorable image” of the tournament, where football not only teaches skills but also plants values of love and responsibility in young hearts.
The Northern U14 2025/2026 tournament is seen as a breakthrough step, laying a sustainable foundation for Vietnamese youth football by allowing young players to compete regularly in a truly professional environment.“The Northern U14 tournament is the starting point for a year-round competition system in Vietnamese youth football. This is the only way if we want to approach Asian standards,” said Mr. Adachi, Technical Director of Hanoi FC.
From a small action carrying a big message, Vietnamese youth football demonstrates a growing humanitarian beauty alongside professional development. Could moments like ‘Please Dad, stop drinking beer’ become an emotional flame nurturing a generation of players who play with all their heart?