Euro 2000 fever sweeps Vietnam

England are one of Vietnam's most popular teams

While the mood in England may be one of resignation following the 3-2 defeat by Portugal, the Vietnamese are going Euro 2000 crazy.

The football-mad country has taken the tournament to heart in a way that puts a few of the participating nations to shame.

All games are screened live on domestic television, and although Vietnam is a full six hours ahead of the UK, millions have been tuning in - and celebrating in the streets afterwards.

People love their football here

Fonvuyen Sao

A total of 93 people were arrested in Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend for public order offences as footy-crazed fans took to the streets after the first round of matches.

"Everybody is very excited about Euro 2000," says Fonvuyen Sao, reporter on the Tuoitre newspaper.

"People get together at friends' houses or in bars and watch the games together. People love their football here."

Passion

Vietnam's own league goes semi-professional for the first time next season, but it is European football that most fans here follow with a passion.

Manchester United produce a Vietnamese edition of their fanzine and have supporters' clubs in all the big cities, while stars like David Beckham are on advertising hoardings all round the country.

"The most popular players are Beckham, Raul, Alessandro Del Piero, Marc Wilmots, Edgar Davids and Nicolas Anelka," says Sao.

"In terms of teams, Holland are the most popular, followed by France and England."

Beckham: Adored in Vietnam

Interest in football has been fuelled by the betting industry that has grown up around the game. Thousands bet on the outcome of games, as well as the permuations of scorer/result which have become so popular in the UK.

Police said they had been out in force for Euro 2000, taking up position around Ho Chi Minh from 8pm, three hours before kick-off in the early games and a full seven and a half hours before the late games finish.

But the rowdy celebrations have led to clashes between police and revellers.

Killed

During the South East Asian Games in Brunei last August, 11 people were killed in traffic accidents as hundreds of thousands took to the streets of the big cities to celebrate the Vietnamese national team's unexpectedly long run.

Despite the massive deployment then of riot police armed with water cannon, four people were killed in Ho Chi Minh alone after the Indonesia game which earned Vietnam their place in the finals, in which they were eventually beaten by Thailand.

Last month, two Ho Chi Minh traffic police officers were jailed for 14 and six years respectively after being convicted of bludgeoning to death a football fan they detained for an alleged traffic violation during last August's disturbances.