FIFA composes a poem and uses Trung Kiên's image to send New Year wishes to Vietnamese football

The official fanpage of the World Football Federation (FIFA) caught eyes by sharing a four-line lục bát poem to celebrate the Vietnamese football New Year.

On the morning of February 17th (the first day of the Bính Ngọ Lunar New Year 2026), the Vietnamese football community was pleasantly surprised by a meaningful spiritual gift from the World Football Federation. On FIFA’s homepage, a photo of young goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên was chosen as the representative image to convey the warmest wishes to the S-shaped land at the start of the new spring.

What delighted fans was that FIFA used the traditional Vietnamese lục bát poetic form to craft these heartfelt lines:

"Peach blossoms bloom across distant lands

The village roads buzz with cheerful songs from every home

Trung Kiên strides forward with great confidence

Opening the Bính Ngọ chapter with Vietnamese spirit"

Being chosen by the world’s most powerful football organization is a tremendous honor for Trần Trung Kiên personally. This recognition reflects the rapid professional progress of the U23 Vietnam goalkeeper, who is expected to soon inherit the position of the national team’s number one goalkeeper in the near future.

Beyond the social media message, FIFA’s top leaders—President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom—also sent separate New Year letters to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). In his letter, President Infantino extended wishes of health, happiness, and success to the entire Vietnamese football family, hoping for a prosperous Bính Ngọ year.

FIFA leaders also expressed their appreciation for the strong cooperative relationship between the two sides and look forward to an in-person meeting with VFF Chairman Trần Quốc Tuấn soon. The year 2026 is seen as a pivotal year with many significant events, especially preparations for the 2026 World Cup finals, where Vietnamese football is striving to make new marks.

FIFA’s gesture on the first day of the Lunar New Year is not just a formal greeting but also highlights the rising status and growing global recognition of Vietnamese football on the world stage.

FIFA sends New Year greetings to Vietnamese football

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