This is the 272nd most frequent Vietnamese word.
cầu
The Vietnamese word "cầu" can mean "bridge," "to pray," or "to request/ask," depending on context.
Here, 'cầu' refers to a 'bridge', a structure for crossing over a barrier.
Tôi đi qua cầu để sang bờ bên kia.
I cross the bridge to get to the other side.
In this sentence, 'cầu' means 'to pray', expressing a wish or hope.
Anh ấy cầu mong một ngày mai tốt đẹp hơn.
He prays for a better tomorrow.
In the context here, 'cầu thủ' (a compound word where 'cầu' relates to sports or ball games, and 'thủ' means player) refers specifically to a football player.