53 Beauties on the Pitch: When the THACO Super Cup Becomes a Stage of Glances

On the afternoon of August 27, in Ho Chi Minh City, an unusual image slipped into the familiar space of high-level football: 53 young women dressed in red shirts with yellow stars, as fresh as flowers on the green turf, walked into the press conference area of the National Super Cup – THACO Cup 2026/26. They held no microphones, no tactical notes, but their presence spoke louder than any statement: Vietnamese football is no longer only the story of tackles and goals, but has become a wider space where worlds once considered distant can touch each other. Football never lies; we are just not slow enough to listen. I sat in the back row, watching the Miss Vietnam 2026 contestants attentively listening to the two head coaches talking about determination to win the cup. In that moment, I remembered my days as a second-year student, standing under the empty stands of Hoa Xuan Stadium, listening to the sound of cleats on grass echoing like the creaking door of childhood. Football is not just 90 minutes on the pitch. It is the story of people, of destinies, of watching eyes. The context of this story is the 2026/26 National Super Cup – THACO Cup, a clash between Hanoi Police Club, the V.League champions, and Ho Chi Minh City Police Club, an elite representative of Saigon football. This match is usually seen as the curtain raiser for the new season, but this year, before the ball rolled, the event created a different wave. 53 Miss Vietnam 2026 contestants were present, met the coaching staff and players, and together created images that flooded social media. Names like Quang Hai, Tien Linh, Thanh Binh, Ngo Dang Khoa, Patrik Le Giang, Khong Minh Gia Bao – the brightest stars of national football – suddenly became the center of a stage without a ball. As a sports editor, I often ask myself: what makes a match memorable? Not the score, not the goals, but those moments when people touch each other. I remember the 2026 World Cup final, when Croatia – a nation of 4.2 million people – exhausted after three extra times, and I wrote about Modric's teary eyes when he received the Golden Ball on the day of defeat. The glory of the loser is a light that only those who stay behind can pick up. Today, there is no defeat here, only a meeting between two worlds seemingly unrelated. But if you look closely, this event is not just a grandiose PR stunt. It reveals a trend that is reshaping Vietnam's sports media landscape: the crossing of football and entertainment. When Patrik Le Giang, goalkeeper of Ho Chi Minh City Police Club, suddenly became more known to fans after publicly dating MC Hoang Oanh, we realize that a player's value is not entirely measured by on-field performance. Their image is built from both private life and career, from stories outside the pitch. And that is not bad. People remember the scorer's name, but I remember his run ten seconds before. Likewise, I will remember how the girls in red flag shirts smiled brightly next to the players, as a way of saying that football is no longer a territory exclusive to die-hard fans. I see this as a positive signal. When Miss Vietnam appears at the THACO Super Cup, they bring a new fan base: young girls, those who never cared about goals or tactics, but now may find a reason to sit and watch the match. That is the real power of this event: not just showcasing beauty, but opening doors. The heart still beats, even when no one applauds in the stands. I remember 2026, when football stopped due to the pandemic, I wrote about empty stadiums and wondered if football would still have its appeal without spectators. Today's answer is clear: Vietnamese football is finding every way to fill the stands, even with the presence of beauty queens. And that, I believe, is a sign of a strong life, of a desire to connect. Of course, not everyone supports this. On forums, some “pure” fans argue that bringing beauty queens to the pitch dilutes the football atmosphere. They say football belongs to warriors, not to a catwalk. But I think they are seeing the issue too narrowly. Football is also an entertainment industry, and like any entertainment industry, it needs to reinvent itself. The presence of Miss Vietnam contestants is one familiar approach in many countries – from NFL halftime shows to the appearance of showbiz stars at Serie A matches. If it helps the THACO Super Cup gain more attention and spread wider, why object? Following football for many years, I have witnessed countless innovations to make football more attractive. I remember sponsors renaming competitions, entertainment programs before kick-off, and now the appearance of 53 beauties. Vietnam's football market is learning to talk to the masses, and that is truly gratifying. Media figures will reflect this: posts about today's press conference will surely have interaction rates far exceeding ordinary press conferences. But this event also raises an interesting question: where is Vietnamese football in the global entertainment industry flow? When the tournament is named THACO Cup, when beauty queens stand next to players, we see an ecosystem operating on market logic: every component seeks to amplify value. Sponsors want brand reach; organizers want new audiences; players want to build personal image; and beauty queens want broader public access. Everyone benefits, and more importantly, audiences benefit – because football becomes closer, more colorful. There is one detail I cannot forget: when a contestant shyly asked me about the offside rule, I explained enthusiastically. Afterwards, she said it was the first time she found football so interesting. I thought to myself, perhaps from that look, there will be a new loyal V.League fan. Football never limits its lovers. It always opens its arms, as long as we are patient enough to introduce it to strangers. During the match, I will stand in the press area, observing not only the plays but also the stands. I will look in the crowd for those new faces – girls watching football for the first time, people feeling their hearts race when the ball rolls. And I will remember: they came for different reasons, but when they cheer in unison, they are all Vietnamese loving football. We never touch the ball, but the ball always touches us. So, do not rush to judge the appearance of 53 beauties at the THACO Super Cup. See it as another touch of the ball reaching human hearts. And if after this match, more people start following V.League, I believe that is the best thing a sideline event can bring. After all, top-level football is not only written with tactics, but also with eyes that know how to look at each other.