HO CHI MINH CITY – is crowded with foreign tourists flocking to Bui Vien pedestrian street, cheering with joy when Vietnam U23 won the gold medal in men’s football at the 31st SEA Games.
Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, Bui Vien street, District 1 is a destination that attracts tourists to watch the men’s football final between U23 Vietnam and Thailand at SEA Games 31. Before the match, Ho Chi Minh City had light rain, However, this did not reduce the heat, and many visitors showed up early to choose the right seats to watch the match.
Most of the bars, pubs and eateries on Bui Vien walking street are equipped with large screens for guests to watch football. In the smaller shops, the TV is also turned on, full of customers. Along the way, many people carry trumpets, Vietnamese flags, and stickers… to sell to tourists.
A group of friends of Mr. Flop, 24, from India also stopped to buy some stickers to support the Vietnamese team. Mr. Flop shared, that Bui Vien is a very famous destination in Ho Chi Minh City, and many interesting activities take place here. Today the atmosphere is even happier when many people come to support football.
“We watched the match between Vietnam and Thailand. Thailand is a very good team, but Vietnam is also very good, their technique is very good. I think Vietnam’s chances of winning will be higher. Today I cheer for Vietnam,” he shared. Flop just arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on May 21, went for coffee and visited museums in the city. After Ho Chi Minh City, he will go to Nha Trang, Hoi An, and Hanoi.
The 24-year-old Indian has been to 9 countries including Thailand, and Vietnam is the 10th country. According to him, both Vietnam and Thailand are great places.
About 50 meters from the Flop, a group of friends of Rémy, 29, a Frenchman, chose an ideal seat in front of a large led screen to watch the match. Although he is not a football fan, he did not miss a moment during the 90 minutes of the match.
Mr. Rémy and his friends support U23 Vietnam and bought a banner to cheer the team on. Before situations where Vietnam missed opportunities, he held his face to express regret and burning emotions when Nham Manh Dung headed into the Thai net in the 83rd minute.
“This match was really good, Vietnam’s ball against Thailand was great, it was also the most valuable moment of the match. I don’t remember the name of the player but he was the best player in this match. Congratulations to the Vietnamese team”, Mr. Rémy stood up and clapped his hands to congratulate the Vietnamese fans.
When the referee’s whistle blew to end the match, fans held the Vietnamese flag high, blew trumpets, and walked in long lines chanting “Vietnam is the champion”. Many tourists hold their phones to record the celebrating moments of Vietnamese fans, shaking hands, congratulating and taking pictures with them.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Bui Vien so vibrant,” a bar manager shared.
