Monthongwittaya School’s 7-a-side football team from Bang Nam Priao district of Chachoensao is now among Thailand’s most inspiring underdog stories, capturing national attention with their remarkable run in the 2025 7HD Football Champion Cup.
The small secondary school’s team, nicknamed the “Celtic of Bang Nam Priao” owing to its green jersey, has stunned Thai football fans with its fairy-tale run to the national final. The team fits its underdog image — no reputation, no ranking. Only a few expected the team to achieve much in a national tournament. Yet they defied the odds spectacularly.
Starting in the qualifying round of 503 teams on Oct 6, the team stunned the nation by defeating powerhouse teams such as Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality Sports School, Assumption Thonburi, Debsirin School, and Assumption College Sriracha.
Even though the team lost 2–1 to Chainat Provincial Administrative Organisation School in the final, they won the hearts of fans, businessmen, politicians, and influencers who rallied behind them. Their final match on Nov 8 at Supachalasai National Stadium drew around 30,000 fans while Channel 7HD reported a peak of 4.2 million concurrent viewers during the live broadcast.
Why did this grassroots football story become so popular? Because Monthongwittaya’s journey was not paved with rose petals, they travelled to matches in an old truck nicknamed Rot Khon Fun (the Dream Transport). This symbolised their perseverance, humble beginnings and their unexpected fighting spirit.
Of course, I’m one of the legion of fans and followed the team’s progress on social media. I watched interview clips of Sakon Kliengprasert, the team’s renowned youth football coach, who has developed some players for the Thai national team.
Now, in retirement, Coach Sakon has guided Monthongwittaya School to its first-ever appearance in the 7HD Football Champion Cup final. He is widely known as a “coachbuilder”. More than coaching on how to play and win, he instils discipline and moral values in his players.
Through social media, I have been able to follow these young footballers closely. From their interviews, it’s clear that they are determined and full of dreams — to become professional footballers and better people.
Some players in the team openly admit that they come from poor families; football for them is more than a hobby, but is seen as a passport to a better life. Such hope drives them to be disciplined, hard-working and clinical when they play. Like world-class athletes, they dream, even in their waking hours, of becoming champions.
I believe that their victories across so many games, defeating major schools along the way, were not the result of coincidence or luck. Rather, it was the outcome of passion, hard work, and grit under the guidance of Coach Sakon that brought them to this point.
What I found even more inspiring was how the team’s journey dominated national attention. Politicians, regardless of their political hues, influencers, and fans alike, were drawn to their performance, proving that football can unite, drive community, and create pride in the country.
Who stepped in to help them along their journey? Thai Smile Bus donated a 4.5-million-baht electric bus to replace their old truck, ensuring the team could travel safely and sustainably to future matches.
Pimradaporn Benjawattanapat, aka Pimrypie, the famous YouTuber and online seller, posted on her Facebook page after the final match on Nov 8 that Coach Sakon will receive 10,000 baht per month for life as a gesture of support.
Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture and Cooperative Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow donated 150,000 baht from his foundation to Monthongwittaya. He also ordered improvements to the school to encourage and support young athletes. It could not help but be noticed that Capt Thamanat’s actions have been perceived as a political move ahead of next year’s general election.
But Monthongwittaya’s rise offered a rare chance to bridge politics, community, culture, and sport in a single narrative. By helping the team, these figures are tapping into a national mood of hope, solidarity, and admiration for the underdog.
Monthongwittaya have become more than a football team. They have become a stage for Thailand’s leaders and opinion-makers to demonstrate empathy, relevance, and connection to the people. Their story reminds us that football is not just a game — it is a mirror reflecting society’s struggles and aspirations.