Concept
Association football in Vietnam is run by the Vietnam Football Federation. The federation administers the Vietnamese national football teams including the Men's and Women's teams. It is also responsible for the national football leagues including the V.League 1, which is the top tier of professional football in Vietnam. Association football (Bóng đá) is the most popular sport in Vietnam. Its annual V-League competition has taken place every year since 1980 (except in 1988 and 1999). When Vietnam was divided into the two countries as North Vietnam and South Vietnam from 1954 to 1976, two national teams existed. The North Vietnamese team was not very active, playing almost exclusively other Communist countries between 1956 and 1966 whilst the South Vietnamese team took part in the first two AFC Asian Cup finals, finishing fourth both times. Football came into Vietnam with the French in 1896. It was first introduced in Cochinchina (Nam Kỳ), and then spread to the central and northern parts of the colony. Football was introduced to Saigon by French civil servants, merchants and soldiers. Some locals also adopted the game at this time. A club called Cercle Sportif Saigonnais (Saigon Sports Circle) was founded. Games were played at the city park, called Jardin de la Ville (today Tao Đàn Park). In 1905, a British warship named after King Alfred visited Saigon and its football team had a friendly match against a local team composed of Vietnamese and French players. This is considered the first international football match in Vietnam. E. Breton, a member of France's L'Union des Sociétés Français des Sports Athlétiques brought football rules into Vietnam in 1906. As a chairman of Cercle Sportif Saigonnais, he reorganized the club similar to football clubs in France. Other clubs, such as Infanterie, Saigon Sport, Athletic Club, Stade Militaire and Tabert Club, were founded around that time. Local cups were soon held afterwards. Cercle Sportif Saigonnais was the most successful team, winning in 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1916.
