Overseas Vietnamese who played for Vietnam U23 team retires at age 28

Overseas Vietnamese player Martin Lo, former U23 Vietnam player, announced his retirement at the age of 28 after 21 years in football.

Martin Lo retired at the age of 28. Photo: FBNV .

“Thank you football, for everything,” Martin Lo began his retirement announcement. On the morning of August 2, Vietnamese-American midfielder Martin Lo posted an article confirming that he would retire at the age of 28, ending 21 years of football. Although he left the field to move in a new direction, the player under the PVF-CAND team affirmed that he still loves football but has chosen a path that is more suitable for him.

“21 years and done. Thank you football, for everything. The person Martin Lo has become and more importantly, the person Martin Lo chooses to become is shaped by the people I met in football and the experiences along the way,” he wrote.

Martin Lo shares how his 21-year journey with football has helped shape his personality, giving him a voice, confidence and valuable relationships. “For 21 years, football has given me a place to express myself in a way that words cannot. As an introverted Asian boy, growing up in an environment where Asians were often overlooked and underrepresented in sports , football gave me a voice when I had no voice,” he continues.

Martin Lo added: “Some people close to me may understand why I made this decision, but most do not, and that is fine with Martin Lo… This is a personal decision for myself. My life goals and values are no longer in line with the path that football is taking me on.”

“Football will always be a part of Martin Lo's life, but it will no longer be his entire identity,” he affirmed.

Martin Lo was born in 1997 in Australia. In 2018, he returned to Vietnam to play for Pho Hien (now PVF-CAND), and with the team won the runner-up position in the 2019 First Division. However, the defeat in the play-off match against Thanh Hoa caused the team to miss the V.League.

After that, Martin Lo moved to Hai Phong and then returned to PVF-CAND. He was called up by coach Park Hang-seo to join U22 and U23 Vietnam. Martin Lo scored against U23 Myanmar in a friendly match in 2019, but was not on the list for the 30th SEA Games.

Although highly appreciated for his technique and creativity, his limitations in physique and strength prevent Martin Lo from breaking through in a top environment.

Source: https://znews.vn/viet-kieu-tung-khoac-ao-u23-viet-nam-giai-nghe-o-tuoi-28-post1573672.html