2010 World Cup Kick-Off

…And like any football/ soccer fanatic, Vietnam celebrated and cheered on the teams.

 

Cong Vinh to retire

… if his request for a lighter sentence is denied.

However, this public declaration to reduce his punishment only caused the board of leaders of his own team, Ha Noi T&T, to further penalize the star striker by dismissing him as team captain and slapping him with an EXTRA 50 million VND (~2600 USD) fine citing  improper conduct. Double ouch!

 

Cong Vinh suspended & fined for kneeling, Ouch.

Vinh kowtows to referee Vu Bao Linh during a sixth-round V-League match at Cao Lanh Stadium between hosts Dong Thap and his club Hanoi T&T

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) on Tuesday (March 23) decided to suspend striker Le Cong Vinh for six matches for sarcastically kowtowing to referee Vu Bao Linh in a sixth-round V-League match on Sunday.

 

Ho Quynh Huong before and after the SEA Games finals

Before:

Wait, let me throw in a few more celeb shots prior to the big game before revealing the “After” ones just for suspense:

 

Soccer star Lee Nguyen goes to England for extra training.

The Vietnamese-American soccer player, Lee Nguyen, will be joining world famous football club Arsenal of England in September for special training with them. Although Nguyen was born in the United States and won the award for High School Soccer Player of the Year, he is relatively unknown to non-soccer fans in his birthplace, but instead, receives rockstar treatment in Vietnam.  He is the highest paid player in the V-League receiving $10,000U.S./Month.   Lee played for Hoang Ang Gai Lai (HAGL) this season scoring 12 goals and 16 assists in 24 matches.   Lee has played for the USA national team, PSV Eindhoven in Holland and Randers in Demark.

Lee Nguyen (far left) will be joined by Thong Lao (3rd from left) in trip to England.