Top 10 Most Remarkable Sporting Events of 2018

In Changzhou, China, the young team under Coach Park Hang-seo created seismic waves across the continent by reaching the final of the AFC U23 Championship. Overcoming formidable opponents like Australia, Iraq, Qatar, and only halted by Uzbekistan in the final, U23 Vietnam brought the nation into a football frenzy. The image of Coach Park's boys battling under the Changzhou snow surely touched every football-loving heart and garnered international media admiration.

After exactly 2 decades, Les Bleus once again reign supreme on the world stage with a stellar squad. Under Deschamps' guidance, the navy blue team played a scientific and cohesive style of football to swiftly advance to the final. Overcoming Croatia in the ultimate match, the “Gaul Rooster” lifted the prestigious World Cup trophy deservedly. France had a highly successful World Cup, paving the way for a bright future for stars like Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba, and Antoine Griezmann.

With the core being the U23 team, Vietnam's National Team has delighted its fans by clinching the AFF Cup championship after a 10-year wait. Under Park's guidance, the team continues to be a tough opponent, showcasing solid defensive play and diverse attacking strategies. Triumphing over Malaysia with an aggregate score of 3-2 over two legs, Vietnam officially lifted the trophy at My Dinh Stadium, concluding a memorable 2018 filled with countless cherished moments.

For the first time since 2007, the most prestigious individual accolades in football didn't belong to either of the superstar duo Messi or Ronaldo. Following a brilliant World Cup campaign, despite crossing the age of 33, Modric still garnered overwhelming support in the voting polls. In just one year, the Croatian midfielder consecutively secured the 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, UEFA Men's Player of the Year, FIFA The Best Men's Player 2018, and the 2018 Ballon d'Or.

The Spanish Royal Club continues to leave its European rivals in awe by securing the Champions League title for the third consecutive time. Defeating Liverpool in the final match in Kiev, Zinedine Zidane's team set an unparalleled record in the prestigious tournament of the old continent. Immediately after the championship, Zidane and Ronaldo departed from Bernabeu to pursue new goals.

In early November, major newspapers in Europe and Asia reported that Vietnam had been chosen to host an F1 race in April 2020. According to the organizers, Hanoi will host its inaugural Formula 1 race on a renowned 5.565-kilometer circuit, becoming the third street race in the world. The Hanoi race is deemed unique with a layout distinct from Monaco and Singapore. The circuit is planned to be built around the national stadium My Dinh, accompanied by newly constructed roads to meet the organizers' requirements.

After Vietnam decided to withdraw from hosting the 2018 Asian Games, the continent's biggest sporting event was held simultaneously in two cities, Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia. As expected, China continued to assert its position as the number one sporting powerhouse in Asia, topping the medal tally (132 gold, 92 silver, and 65 bronze medals). In this edition of ASIAD, Vietnam's Olympic team also made its mark by reaching the men's football semifinals, only losing to South Korea, who later clinched the overall gold medal.

After several postponements, the VFF Congress for the 2018-2022 term was finally held in early December. Following the Congress, Mr. Le Khanh Hai, who previously oversaw sports as the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, was officially elected as the President of the VFF. In other key positions, Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan was re-elected as the Vice President in charge of technical matters, Mr. Cao Van Chong was elected as the Vice President in charge of communications, and Mr. Can Van Nghia assumed the role of Vice President in charge of finance.

Starting the year 2018 with little impression, Novak Djokovic quickly regained his form at two major tournaments, Wimbledon and the US Open. Winning these consecutive titles helped Djokovic surpass both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to finish the season as the world number 1. Just within 4 months, rising from 22nd place, 'Nole' truly made history by returning to dominate the tennis world in November.

After winning the Gold medal in athletics at the 2018 ASIAD, Bui Thi Thu Thao clinched victory in the Athlete of the Year award voting. According to the results, with 700 points, Thu Thao surpassed midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai of the Vietnamese national football team to become the most outstanding face of 2018. The third place went to Nguyen Huy Hoang, an 18-year-old swimmer who won the silver medal at ASIAD in the 1,500m freestyle event. The outstanding athlete awards were voted on by sports journalists, held simultaneously in 3 locations: Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City.