One of two rocks on campus in the shape of footballers’ feet.

The construction of this institute began in March 2007 on 5 hectares of land and was inaugurated in October 2007. It is around 13km from Pleiku City.

Besides five football fields, the institute has an indoor pitch. Other facilities include: six housing complexes, swimming pools, tennis courts, sauna rooms and a fitness centre.

The institute has recruited trainees for two courses. The standard is so high that in 2007, only 16 out of 7,000 applicants were recruited. In 2009, ten out of 10,000 from 21 provinces and cities were selected for training. Trainees are between the ages of 12 and 14 with a bus taking them to Pleiku city for studying at a general school in the morning. They return at 11am for lunch and to take a nap before starting football training. The director of Arsenal JMG comes to Viet Nam annually to observe the progress.

A swimming pool for the would-be stars.

Trainees live in these houses and they are taken care of by designated staff.

Each room has four single beds. Trainees have to go to bed at 9.30pm and get up at 5.45am. They leave the centre to school at 6.30am. They are allowed free time on Sunday.

Chef Huynh Thanh Hong is preparing chicken for the child footballers. The menu for trainees changes everyday under the guidance of nutrition experts.

The clean and cool dining room.

Trainees can follow their footballing heroes online. They also enjoy a one month summer holiday each year.

A TV - mostly used for watching football.

Trainees will stay here for seven years and it doesn’t cost them anything. After becoming professional players, if they are transferred to Europe or any country to play football, their families will receive 10 per cent of the total transfer cost.