All eyes will be on Supachalasai National Stadium on Saturday as a little-known school from Chachoengsao prepares to play in the final of the Student Football Sevens tournament.
‘Please cheer and give support for Monthongwittaya School,’ the school wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.
The secondary school in Bang Nam Prieo district has captured national attention after the underdogs edged the powerhouse Dhepsirin School 7-6 in Tuesday’s quarter-finals, then dethroned two-time former champions Assumption College Sriracha 6-3 on Thursday to earn their first-ever place in the final.
On their way, Monthongwittaya also defeated top-ranked Assumption College Thonburi. Their opponents in Saturday’s decider are Chai Nat PAO, a team sponsored by the Provincial Administration Organisation in Chai Nat.
‘Monthongwittaya never gives up,’ the school’s football club declared before facing Assumption College Sriracha.
With only 523 students, Monthongwittaya School is dwarfed by big names like Dhepsirin and Assumption College Sriracha. Regarded as outsiders, they have defied the odds to reach the brink of glory in the Channel 7-hosted competition.
Adding to their underdog charm is their coach, Sakol Kliengprasert, who personally drives an ageing school songthaew to ferry his players roughly 70 kilometres to matches – and back – while big schools arrive in luxury buses with drivers.
The story of the team, their coach, and the old songthaew has gone viral, winning the hearts of netizens. Some dubbed it ‘the bus of dream chasers,’ while others said, ‘this old songthaew has overtaken every other bus in the contest.’
‘If you want your kids to dare to dream, you have to take them to the pitch first,’ Mr Sakol told Siamsport, explaining why he drives them himself.
He can do magic
Much of the credit goes to their dedicated coach. Sakol previously led Surasakmontree School to three titles in the same tournament – in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
After retiring, he was hired to train a team in Chai Nat before being approached by Monthongwittaya to build a football team from scratch three years ago. His effort has now borne fruit, with his boys just one step away from the trophy – and fittingly, standing in their way is a team from Chai Nat.
‘Your support will help our kids to run until they drop,’ he said before Thursday’s match against Assumption College Sriracha.
One thing is certain: a convoy of buses packed with Monthongwittaya fans from Bang Nam Prieo will once again trail behind the school’s iconic songthaew to Supachalasai National Stadium on Saturday – as they have for every match so far.