Making My Way In The Game
Munkh-Orgil Orkhon, Mongolia
Munkh-Orgil Orkhon is a player for the Mongolian men’s national team and Deren FC, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. We also teamed up with Mongol Post and what3words to send our cameras to a precise 3m square of the Mongolian Football Federation. By dividing the world into 3m squares and giving each one a unique combination of three words, what3words has created an entire ecosystem of companies using what3words addresses in Mongolia.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your football journey?
My name is Munkh-Orgil Orkhon and I was born in Selenge, Mongolia. I am 23 years old and I am a football player for Deren FC in Mongolia and the Mongolian national team.
I started playing football when I was six years old. My grandfather and father are former football players which is the reason why me and my brothers also started playing football. My grandfather was a provincial team player, and my father was also a provincial and national team player.
2022 was full of incredible moments. At the start of 2022, I was given an opportunity to go to Germany for a trial. During my stay, I encountered what professional football really is. It was quite different from the football we practiced in Mongolia. We are semi-professional and a developing football country. Germany pushed me to surpass my ability and limits.
In June 2022, I participated in an AFC Asian Qualifier for the first time. Even though our team did not qualify to move forward, we gathered sufficient match experience to improve. And it was an incredible experience.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
The photos were taken in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. I wanted to take photos of my daily life in football.
You can see the stadium of Deren FC. We play in the Mongolian National Premier League at the national stadium. I also took photos of the U23 national team, preparing and warming up for a match.
During the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, our Japanese coach went back to Japan because of health problems. So instead, we connected with him online, but this meant we had three tough games without our coach.
Due to Covid our games were held without any fans and with very little rest in between the games. We usually do not have a full stadium of fans at every league match, so it was not too hard to adapt.
What does football mean to you? What role does football play in Mongolian society?
Football is a sport that introduced me to the world. Through football, I was able to travel to different countries, make a lot of friends, and explore myself. I started playing more seriously during the last two years of high school.
Football has become more popular in Mongolia during the past five years, and has started to have a bigger role in society. Kids are starting to develop their teamwork, skills and discipline, which was lacking before.
What are your ambitions?
I am trying to make a living out of football, which is the thing I love the most. My biggest ambition is to go abroad and play professional football, and I will be able to see what happens from there on.
