Nam Định Football Club (), currently known as Thép Xanh Nam Định due to sponsorship reasons, is a Vietnamese professional football club based in Nam Định ward, Ninh Bình. The club is currently the defending champions of the V.League 1, the highest football division of Vietnam.
History Before 1997, the club's kit always used home colors black-white which were similar to Juventus. It originates from name Namha Youths, so during the 1980-1990s they were called as "Vietnamese Juventus" by the media. However, after some changing times due to sponsor replacements, it was fixed as the yellow, then added lime-red.
Hà Nam Ninh won the A1 National Football Champions (now V.League) in 1985 with their star player Nguyễn Văn Dũng.
Overcoming difficulties to survive In 2001, Nam Định took second place in the National Championships, losing to Bình Định. In 2007, the Nam Định football team changed its name to Đạm Phú Mỹ Nam Định and won its first National Cup under its new name. In 2009 the Nam Định Football team changed its name to Megastar Nam Định and failed in standing on V.League to 1st level tournament 2010.
In 2011, the team changed its name back to Mikado Nam Định and was relegated to the second division after only one year. In 2012, Mikado Nam Định failed to win promotion to the first division after losing on penalties to the Khánh Hòa youth team in the semi-finals. In 2014, Nam Định won a place in the 2015 First Division after defeating Vĩnh Long 4–0 in the Second Division final at Tam Kỳ Stadium, Quảng Nam. In 2016, the team finished third overall and took part in the play-off of the 2016 National First Division but failed to win promotion to the V.League.
The following season, the team won the 2017 First Division championship and won the only place to play in the 2018 V.League. In 2019, the team introduced a new sponsor, Nam Ha Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, and changed its name to Dược Nam Hà Nam Định to compete in the V.League 2019. In 2021, the team changed its name back to Nam Định Football Club after the end of the contract with Nam Ha Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company.However, this was still a period when financial difficulties always threaten the existence of the club.
Typically, the times are continuously slow or out of the budget, even have to accept relegation because they cannot find a worthy funding. There are seasons that the team leaders have to pray for help from the fan association.
Back-to-back league champions After many poor seasons and even nearing relegation, since 2023, under the guidance of head coach Vũ Hồng Việt, Nam Định has continuously been in the top 5 strongest teams in V-League.Winning Hanoi breathlessly, coach Vũ Hồng Việt was as happy as a farmer with a good harvest
On 25 June 2024, Nam Định officially won the 2023–24 V.League 1 title after a 5–1 victory against Khánh Hòa in the final league match. It was the club's first top-flight league title after 39 years since their last win in 1985. Following the title, the club qualified for the inaugural 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two group stage, making their return to the intercontinental tournament since the 2008 AFC Champions League. On 18 September 2024, Nam Định played against Hong Kong club Lee Man at the Mong Kok Stadium. Rafaelson and Lucas Silva scored a goal to secured a 2–0 win over the Hong Kong club.Thepxanh-Namdinh faces many advantages if topping their group in the AFC Champions League Two Nam Định finished in second place in the group stage, thus seeing the team advance to the round of 16 facing against Japanese club Sanfreece Hiroshima. However, Nam Định was hammered 7–0 by the J1 League club, resulting in elimination.
Head coach Vũ Hồng Việt then helmed the club to successfully retain their league title, thus winning the 2024–25 V.League 1 title, and being granted qualification to the 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two and also the regional 2025–26 ASEAN Club Championship. In the ASEAN Club Championship, Nam Định was drawn into group B with Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C., Bangkok United F.C., Lion City Sailors FC, runners-up of the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two and PKR Svay Rieng, runners-up of the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League.
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor 2016–2018N/AMikado2018–2020 VNA SportVicostone Nam Hà Pharma2020–2023 KelmeNam Hà PharmaXuân Thiện Group2023–2025 MitreXuân Thiện Group2025– JogarbolaXuân Thiện Group
Former team names The club's name was also changed 10 times due to sponsorship reasons:
Nghiệp Hà Nam Ninh (1965–1978) Công Nghiệp Hà Nam Ninh (1978–1991) Nam Hà (1991–1996) Nam Định (1997–2003) Sông Đà Nam Định (2003–2006) Mikado Nam Định (2006–2007) Đạm Phú Mĩ Nam Định (2007–2008) Mikado Nam Định (2006–2007) Megastar Nam Định (2009–2011) Mikado Nam Định (2011–2013) Nam Định (2013–2019) Dược Nam Hà Nam Định (2019–2020) Nam Định (2021–2022) Thép Xanh Nam Định (2022–)
Stadium
Nam Định Ward has two sports facilities, Thiên Trường Stadium (formerly Chùa Cuối Stadium) and Trần Quốc Toản Indoor Stadium, which host both football and volleyball matches. Both sports centers are located on Hùng Vương Street.
At the beginning, the club's home stadium was a dusty training ground of the militia forces, which was usually referred to as Sân Dệt or the "stadium" of the Nam Định Spinning Factory. It was a former field of the Vietnamese National Army's military academy.
From the end of 1970s, their home stadium was Thiên Trường Stadium. During the Vietnam War, this stadium had become a big, polluted pond with vegetable fields. Until 2003, it was also known as Chùa Cuối Stadium (lit. Last Temple Stadium).
Players Current squad
Out on loan
Coaching staff Position Name Head coach Vũ Hồng Việt Technical director Nguyễn Trung Kiên Assistant coach André Luiz Nguyễn Quang Huy Goalkeeper coach Bùi Quang Huy Fitness coach Carlos Pimentel Technical analyst Asyraf Fauzi Doctor Lê Xuân An Physiotherapist Dilson Neto Nguyễn Thành Hưng Trần Mạnh Trí Interpreter Nguyễn Hoàng Việt Logistics Phạm Duy Lộc
Managerial history Head coaches by years (2003–present) NamePeriodHonours Lâm Ngọc Lập 1978–1989 1985 National A1 Championship Lâm Ngọc Lập 1990–1991 Ninh Văn Bảo 1997–2002 Bùi Hữu Nam 2003–2004 Hervé Renard 2004 Nguyễn Ngọc Hảo 2004–2005 Bùi Hữu Nam 2005–2006 Nguyễn Ngọc Hảo 2007–2009 2007 Vietnamese Cup Nguyễn Thế Cường 2009–2010 Nguyễn Ngọc Hảo 2010 Lê Văn Tuấn 2010 Nguyễn Ngọc Hảo 2011–2013 Nguyễn Thế Cường 2014–2016 2014 Second Division Phạm Hồng Phú 2016–2017 2017 V.League 2 Nguyễn Văn Sỹ 2018–2019 Nguyễn Văn Dũng 2019–2020 Nguyễn Văn Sỹ 2020 Phạm Hồng Phú 2020–2022 Nguyễn Văn Sỹ 2020–2022 Vũ Hồng Việt 2022–2025 2023–24 V.League 1 2024 Vietnamese Super Cup 2024–25 V.League 1 Nguyễn Trung Kiên 2025 Mauro Jerónimo 2025–2026 Vũ Hồng Việt 2026–
Performance in AFC competitions AFC Champions League Elite: 1 appearance 2008: Group stage AFC Champions League Two: 2 appearances 2024–25: Round of 16 2025–26: Group stage Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate2008AFC Champions LeagueGroup F Beijing Guoan1–30–34th out of 4 Kashima Antlers0–40–6 Krung Thai Bank2–21–92024–25AFC Champions League TwoGroup G Lee Man3–02–02nd out of 4 Tampines Rovers3–23–3 Bangkok United0–02–3 Round of 16 Sanfrecce Hiroshima0–30–40–72025–26AFC Champions League TwoGroup F Gamba Osaka0–11–33rd out of 4 Ratchaburi3–10–2 Eastern9–01–0
Performance in AFF competitions Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate2025–26ASEAN Club ChampionshipGroup stage PKR Svay Rieng2–1 1st out of 6 Shan United 3–0 Bangkok United 4–1 Lion City Sailors3–0 Johor Darul Ta'zim1–1 Semi-finals Selangor0–21–21–4
Season-by-season record SeasonPldWonDrawLostGFGAGDPTSFinal positionNotes 1982–83 V-League 14 3 6 5 12 13 −1 12 6th Group stage 1984 V-League 15 8 3 4 27 26 +1 19 3rd Qualify for 2nd stage 1985 V-League 16 11 5 0 24 9 +15 27 Champions 1986 V-League 17 6 4 7 29 28 +1 16 1st (Group stage) Qualify for 2nd stage 1987–88 V-League 16 3 5 8 22 27 −5 10 7th Group stage 1989–1997 1998 V-League 26 10 6 10 32 29 +3 35 8th 1999–2000 V-League 24 9 7 8 23 25 −2 34 6th 2000–01 V-League 18 11 1 6 22 17 +5 34 2nd 2003 V-League 22 10 6 6 22 19 +3 36 3rd 2004 V-League 22 13 5 4 30 23 +7 44 2nd 2005 V-League 22 7 7 8 27 31 +4 28 6th 2006 V-League 24 9 5 10 22 28 −6 32 9th 2007 V-League 26 10 8 8 35 31 +4 38 4th Qualified for 2008 AFC Champions League 2008 V-League 26 9 4 13 24 32 −8 31 11th 2009 V-League 26 8 7 11 31 36 −5 31 12th Promotion/relegation playoffs 2010 V-League 26 3 3 20 19 47 −28 12 14th Relegation to 2011 First League 2011 First League 26 5 12 9 29 41 −12 27 13th Relegation to 2012 Second Division 2012 Second Division 2013 Second Division 2014 Second Division 5 4 1 0 9 1 +8 13 1st Promoted to 2015 V.League 2 2015 V.League 2 14 5 3 6 13 18 −5 18 4th 2016 V.League 2 18 8 8 2 25 14 +11 32 3rd Qualification to Play-off I 2017 V.League 2 12 7 2 3 17 14 +3 23 1st Promoted to 2018 V.League 1 2018 V.League 1 26 5 9 12 33 45 −12 24 13th 2019 V.League 1 26 8 7 11 32 41 −9 31 11th 2020 V.League 11853101930−111813th2021 V.League 1126062321 +2184thseason cancelled due to COVID-192022 V.League 12465132133−122312th2023 V.League 1207851919 +0295th 2023–24 V.League 1 26 16 5 5 60 38 +22 52Champions Qualified for 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two 2024–25 V.League 1 26 17 6 3 51 18 +33 57Champions Qualified for 2025–26 AFC Champions League Two 2025–26 V.League 1 26 9 8 9 33 32 +1 35 6th
Honours National competitions League V.League 1 Winners (3) : 1985, 2023–24, 2024–25 Runners-up (2) : 2000–01, 2004 V.League 2 Winners : 2017 Second League Winners : 2014 Cups Vietnamese Cup Winners (1): 2007 Vietnamese Super Cup Winners (1): 2024 Runner-ups (2): 2007, 2025
Other competitions China-ASEAN Cities Football Invitational Tournament Winners: 2016 Runners-up: 2017
See also
Phong Phú Hà Nam (female) Ninh Bình (male) Vissai Ninh Bình (dissolved)
Notes and references Notes
References
Further reading Bibliography Nam Định, thế và lực mới trong thế kỷ XXI −2005 p141 "A glance at the inauguration ceremony of Thiên Trường stadium (August 30th 2003)".
External links