The national football squad of Vietnam.

In 2021, Vietnamese sports and football have many important tasks, especially the 2022 World Cup qualifying in Asia, Olympics, 31st SEA Games, and AFF Cup, among others.

The Government has just issued Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP on the purchase and use of Covid-19 vaccines. The resolution names eight groups of subjects who will be given priority for free vaccinations. The list does not mention sports coaches and athletes.

According to Deputy Director General Tran Duc Phan of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, this agency has just made a list of coaches and athletes who are about to compete at the Olympic qualifying round 2021.

“We have just asked for Covid-19 vaccination for the athletes who are going to compete at the 2021 Olympic qualifiers. For the 31st SEA Games, we have not had a plan. Before the Games, based on the actual situation, we will make specific proposals," said Phan.

The Olympic qualifier 2021 will continue through the end of May 2021, so the vaccination for coaches and athletes is very urgent. The General Department of Sports and Physical Training is still waiting for approval from the authorities.

In Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Thailand are offering Covid-19 vaccines for athletes and coaches. Indonesia has vaccinated more than 800 people, including staff, coaches, athletes and medical staff who are attending the upcoming SEA Games.

The Vietnamese football team is also waiting to be vaccinated. A Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) official said that VFF had consulted with the General Department of Sports and Physical Training on this issue, but it has not received a response yet.

"The resolution on Covid-19 vaccination does not list athletes, but it does give priority to those sent by state agencies to work and study abroad. So we can understand that the Vietnamese football team competing in the 2022 World Cup qualifier is like going on a business trip abroad. The sports sector will ask for the Government and the Ministry of Health’s approval," said Phan.

Meanwhile, rivals of Vietnam's at the 2022 World Cup qualifiers are rushing to vaccinate against Covid-19 for their players. The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) The National News reported that the UAE government has prepared 6 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, enough for about 60% of the UAE's population. The UAE football team is in the priority group for vaccination, as they are on an international mission this June.

Similarly, the Thai team will be vaccinated before the World Cup qualifiers in June, while the group of athletes participating in the upcoming SEA Games in Vietnam will also be vaccinated as soon as possible.

In February, the national team and U22 football teams of Indonesia were vaccinated in Jakarta. The Indonesian team is the first rival of the Vietnamese team in the coming 2022 World Cup qualifier this June.

Bang Lang

Football coach Park Hang Seo: "I'm not interested in fame"

In addition to professional goals, Korean head coach Park Hang Seo of the Vietnamese national football squad wants to improve the mission of connecting Vietnam and Korea.