World Cup: Vietnamese-Australians catch football fever

Away from the iconic beaches of Bondi, the mesmerising curvatures of the Opera House and the steel monstrosity of the Harbour Bridge, lies suburban Sydney.

Wide streets, family-sized, single-story homes with spacious backyards and, most importantly, a strong sense of community.

Many immigrant groups have settled in the suburbs and enriched Australia with their cultures, usually bringing their fanaticism for soccer with them.

In the south-west of the city, on the expanses of Hartley's Oval in Canley Vale, it's like any other Saturday morning in Australia with about 100 kids playing soccer.

Only here, in the heartland of the Vietnamese-Australian community, which numbers about 40,000, such a sight is still a fairly fresh concept.

"Historically, academics is the priority, because of a legacy of where we came from. From hardship back in Vietnam," says Vu Tran.

"So sporting participation levels have been extremely low here in Australia for Vietnamese kids. Parents feel like the only way out is education. What I'm trying to do here is break those old cycles."

Vu Tran founded the Vietnamese Australian Football Academy (VAFA) in late 2020 in an effort to convince more kids to take up sport while still holding onto their roots.

Many Vietnamese arrived in Australia as refugees after the Vietnam War and traditional values still ring true today.

"It's tough, because sport has always been considered a luxury. The only way out of poverty is through education. But playing sport is important for a balanced lifestyle and a big part of Australian culture," Vu explains.

"We're planting a seed for the future."

Fostering two hearts and two cultures

It's a mild, winter's day and the sun is beaming. A light, cool breeze blows the enticing smell of a sausage sizzle across the fields as VAFA teams ranging from under-6s to under-14s compete against neighboring clubs. It's an typical Australian sports day.

"You'll find Vietnamese are probably the closest you can get to Aussies. We love our barbecues, we love our beers, we've assimilated very quickly," Vu says.

"All the kids were born here, they're all Australians and they love supporting Australia. But we also want the kids to be proud of their heritage. So when Vietnam plays, I'd like to see them support Vietnam as well."

That isn't always so straight-forward. Vu is wary of using the Vietnamese flag to promote the academy because some of the older generation in the community connect it with the post-war communist regime.

But those views are dissipating and with Vietnam competing for the first time ever at a World Cup, co-hosted by Australia, it's an ideal chance to expose the kids to high-quality football and get them excited about both their cultures.

"I steer away from all the politics, I just want to make sure the kids are aware and proud of their origins," Vu says. "And with this World Cup, it's an opportunity. It's going to trigger a lot of excitement."

Football at its most wholesome

As the games play out and the morning ambles on, a number of heartwarming moments pop up. This is football at its most wholesome, a reminder of why the game has such a magnetic effect on kids and pulls them in for life.

There's Carlyle, the under-10s captain who speaks far beyond his years as he explains how he calmed his team down in the face of racist abuse from an opposition side.

Or young Theo, the "Pocket Rocket", whose over-sized shirt almost reaches his four-year-old knees as he scores and wheels away to nonchalantly leap into the air for a Cristiano Ronaldo "siiuu" celebration.

"That's the future there," Vu beams. "If we can get them out to participate then I have no doubt that 20 years from now or even before, we'll have a kid of Vietnamese heritage playing for Australia.

"And it's probably not as far as you think. There are kids participating at the moment at very high levels."

Female participation still has some way to go

That goal of international representation of course includes the Matildas, who got their campaign off to a winning start against the Republic of Ireland. However it's immediately obvious that there's a distinct lack of girls playing at the VAFA.

"That's what we're missing at the moment. With girls it's even more of a challenge," Vu says.

"But with the World Cup being here, that hype and excitement will trigger a lot more girls to participate. I've got a massive push planned in the next months where I'll go to all the schools.

"The World Cup is going to show them that girls are equally as capable. And there's no reason Vietnamese girls can't be playing as well. The potential is massive."

Volunteer Emily has two boys at the VAFA but is hoping her two younger daughters will also get the chance to join an all-girls team in the future.

"After the World Cup, I hope the VAFA has their first female team and I'm happy to take on that role as coach," she says.

"We've seen the Matildas' sell-out crowds and I think after this World Cup will change parents' views."

Success can boost future progress

Of course, success breeds popularity, especially in a fiercely competitive sporting nation such as Australia. And while Vietnam won't be able to provide that success, the Matildas have a genuine chance of going far in this tournament.

"If we can make the quarterfinals or the semifinals, football is just going to take off. And I'll try to do my best with the community here," Vu says.

When Vu first started out in 2020, less than 20 kids showed up. Now that number has reached more than 100.

It may be a long road to change a culture but with the journey into its third year, Vu is confident they'll reach new heights thanks to Vietnam's participation and Australia's hosting of the World Cup.

"I'm not just here to participate, I'm here to win. There are much higher levels out there and that's the next platform," Vu says.

"We've only just begun."

Edited by Matt Ford