Chinese fans take pride in the World Cup because of a figure who once left Vietnam exasperated.

It is not a player or a coach, but referee Ma Ning whom Chinese supporters mention most ahead of the World Cup—the black-shirted official who stirs many haunting memories for Vietnamese football.

With the Chinese national team once again missing out on the World Cup, referee Ma Ning has unexpectedly become a rare source of pride for domestic fans at the world's biggest football event. The 46-year-old black-shirted official is drawing exceptional attention on social media platforms and has even signed sponsorship agreements with several major Chinese brands before setting off for his duties.

According to AOL, Ma Ning's popularity has surged as he prepares for his second World Cup appearance. Evolving from a referee known for his strict style, Ma Ning is now seen as a "representative" of Chinese football on the global stage. Yet for Vietnamese fans, this name brings back memories of many past controversial matches—recollections that often resurface whenever he takes charge of major tournaments.

Ma Ning made a strong impression in a 2015 match in Shanghai, issuing up to 9 yellow cards and 3 red cards, earning him the nickname "King of Cards." After his debut as a fourth official at the 2022 World Cup, he has again earned FIFA's trust for this year's tournament. Ma Ning is currently in Miami attending a 10-day training camp ahead of the 2026 World Cup, along with assistant referee Zhou Fei and VAR referee Fu Ming.

On the social media platform RedNote, topics about Ma Ning have garnered millions of views. Many Chinese fans view him as a unique hope for their nation's football. One user wrote: "We have Ma Ning, who do you have?". Meanwhile, another comment was more bitter: "Other countries get to watch their teams compete; we will watch our referee show cards."

While Chinese fans are exhilarated by Ma Ning's presence at the World Cup, Vietnamese fans hold entirely different memories. At the 2012 AFF Cup, he officiated the match between Vietnam and the Philippines. Many of his decisions at the time sparked fierce controversy, prompting the red-shirted players to protest and ultimately suffer a regretful 0-1 defeat.

Two years later, in the 2014 AFF Cup semifinal between Vietnam and Malaysia, Ma Ning once again became a focal point of debate. Although Vietnam secured a 2-1 victory, several of his calls still provoked public outrage. Notably, he failed to send off Safiq Rahim after a reckless foul on Đinh Tiến Thành, and awarded a penalty when the ball struck Huy Hùng's arm while it was close to his body.

The controversies surrounding Ma Ning were not limited to Vietnam's matches. During the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, he officiated Indonesia's 0-3 loss to Thailand. At the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, Ma Ning was initially assigned to referee the final between Vietnam's U23 and Uzbekistan's U23, but was unexpectedly replaced just hours before kickoff. Although he is now highly anticipated by Chinese fans at the World Cup, Ma Ning remains a name linked with many contentious memories for Vietnamese football.