Former football star Hong Son explains why he participated in a reality show at the age of 55

Hanoi [Vietnam], September 18: Having decided to return to the reality show 'Young Footballer', former football star Hong Son continues his work in coaching and training young talents.
After making his mark on the show "Brother Overcoming a Thousand Obstacles," former football star Hong Son recently confirmed his return to "Young Footballer 2026." This is a reality football show that he was involved with in previous seasons. In this return, Hong Son has once again been entrusted by the organizers with the task of coaching the top 32 players.
Nguyen Hong Son is one of the prominent figures of Vietnam's golden generation of football. During his career, he won the Vietnamese Golden Ball twice, in 1998 and 2000, and was voted the best player of the 1998 Tiger Cup. After retiring, Hong Son continued his involvement with football through coaching and training young players.
Former football star Hong Son makes a comeback.
With experience from several seasons on the Junior Footballer program , Hong Son said that the new format is one of the reasons he is excited to return. This season expands to 32 players, meaning the level of competition and selection is also higher.
"With the 2026 version of Junior Footballer , the first new feature worth mentioning is the change in format, especially in the competitiveness and the player selection mechanism. Challenges, exercises, and the evaluation process will determine which players will continue with the program and which will have to stop," he shared.
According to former football star Hong Son, the level of competition this year is higher than in previous seasons. This requires players to focus on every exercise, challenge, and evaluation. "If they cannot maintain focus and demonstrate good professional skills, players could easily be eliminated," coach Hong Son shared.
Besides demanding professional skills, the former star wants to spend a lot of time observing and understanding each of his students. This is something he particularly emphasizes after many years of working with young players.
"I will work closely with you all to get to know each player thoroughly, understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and psychology. Through this, I will design suitable exercises, games, and activities to help you have a truly positive and meaningful time participating in the program," Hong Son said.
Besides former football star Hong Son, Hai Nam also accompanied the young players as the MC. He said that he has always loved sports, especially football, so he was excited to receive the invitation to accompany the children. "I want to follow their training, competition, and growth, and I hope to bring them a source of joy so they can feel more relaxed and confident," Hai Nam said.
Drawing from his own sports experience, Hai Nam also offered advice to young players. According to him, the three most important qualities for becoming a professional player are a fighting spirit, hard work, and regular exposure to real-world situations. "The more time you spend on the field, the more experience you'll gain, improving your observation skills and teamwork," Hai Nam shared.
According to the organizers, the collaboration between Hai Nam and former football star Hong Son brings two distinct styles to the 2026 Young Footballer program . While the male MC brings youthful energy and a love for sports, Hong Son continues to use his experience in playing and coaching to directly mentor young talents.
Source: Thanh Nein Newspaper