You might have come across Doan Thanh Tung if you’ve ever taken a stroll on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street at night. Just look for a lithe guy in his late 20s doing amazing tricks with a football using his entire body.
Doan Thanh Tung, better known by his nickname Tungage, is one of the best – if not the best – freestyle footballers in Vietnam at the moment. Tung’s accolades include being ranked No. 1 in Asia and No. 15 among the top 16 freestyle artists in the world back in 2015, according to World Freestyle Football Association.
Freestyle football is, in its simplest term, an activity that employ all parts of the body to perform tricks with a football. It’s a relatively new sport, having existed for a bit more than two decades. However, it’s gained popularity in recent years thanks to social media and video-hosting platforms.
Before making the decision to pursue freestyle football full-time, the 30-year-old Thai Nguyen native used to teach film editing at the FPT Arena Institute. However, he chanced upon a video clip of Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho doing tricks on the field and was instantly enchanted by the nimble movements.
Flash forward to today, Tung has been with freestyle football for a decade. He now organizes free shows in schools and universities for students during his free time in between world and regional tournaments.
Get to know Tungage’s story through the video feature below:
