Women's World Cup: Vietnam Women's Team Profile

Vietnam Women are one of the teams making their tournament debut at the 2023 Women's World Cup, which starts in July and will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

They face a daunting opening clash with four-time World Cup winners USA, before taking on Portugal and the Netherlands in their other group E fixtures and Vietnam are 100/1 to qualify for the round of 16.
 

Vietnam's World Cup record:

Vietnam Women have had a relatively short history in international football, playing their first official fixture in 1997, and the 2023 Women's World Cup will be their first appearance at the tournament. 

They came close to qualifying for the 2015 finals but were beaten 2-1 at home in a play-off against Thailand and they have a modest record in continental tournaments such as the Asian Games and the AFC Women's Asian Cup. 

They have fared better in the AFF Championship, an event featuring nations from South East Asia as well as Australia Under-20 or Under-23 teams. 

Vietnam have lifted the trophy on three occasions, most recently in 2019 when they beat Thailand 1-0 in the final after extra-time. 

And Vietnam Women are the most successful team in the history of the Southeast Asian Games football tournament, winning gold on eight occasions, including the last four runnings in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
 

How Vietnam qualified:

Vietnam reached the quarter-finals of the Women's Asian Cup for the first time in 2022 and, despite losing to China in the last eight, that earned them a place in the World Cup play-off competition, a mini-league also featuring Thailand and Chinese Taipei.

They made the perfect start to the play-offs in Mumbai, scoring twice in the first 24 minutes of their 2-0 win over Thailand.

They also flew out of the traps in their second game against Chinese Taipei, taking an early lead thanks to a seventh-minute goal from defender Churong Thi Kieu. 

Their opponents equalised shortly after half-time but Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy swiftly restored Vietnam's advantage and they held on for a 2-1 victory that sealed a place at the World Cup finals for the first time in their history.
 

The Manager - Mai Duc Chung:

Veteran coach Mai Duc Chung was an energetic and versatile footballer who won five international caps for the Vietnam men's team in the early 1980s.

As a coach, he has had a huge influence on the women's game in Vietnam, leading them in their first Southeast Asian Games appearance in 1997 and helping them to SEA Games glory in 2003 and 2005.

During a long coaching career, Chung has worked as assistant manager and interim manager of the Vietnam men's national team and had spells in charge of Becamex Binh Duong, Navibank Saigon and Thanh Hoa at club level.

He returned to lead Vietnam Women to their first World Cup finals and declared after securing qualification that "our dream has come true".   
 

Confirmed Vietnam squad:

Vietnam are yet to confirm their World Cup squad. Here are the 28 players named in their provisional squad:

Goalkeepers: Tran Thi Kim Thanh, Khong Thi Hang, Dao Thi Kieu Oanh, Doan Thi Ngoc Phuong

Defenders: Churong Thi Kieu, Luong Thi Thu Thuong, Tran Thi Thu, Hoang Thi Loan, Tran Thi Thuy Nga, Le Thi Diem My, Tran Thi Thu Thao, Nguyen Thi My Anh, Tran Thi Hai Linh, Ha Thi Ngoc Uyen

Midfielders: Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung, Tran Thi Thuy Trang, Thai Thi Thao, Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Duong Thi Van, Nguyen Thi Truc Huong, Tran Nguyen Bao Chau, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha, Ngan Thi Van Su  

Forwards: Huynh Nhu, Pham Hai Yen, Vu Thi Hoa, Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang, Nguyen Thi Tyet Ngan
 

Vietnam's Key Players:

Vietnam's star player is forward Huynh Nhu, who became the first female footballer from the country to join a professional club in Europe when she signed for Portugal's Lank Vilaverdense in August 2022.

She is the record goalscorer for Vietnam, with 67 goals in 72 caps, but midfielder Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung has also passed the 50-goal mark in international football and Pham Hai Yen is another reliable finisher up front.

Vietnam's 21-year-old winger Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha is an exciting prospect although the focus is likely to be on their defensive players when they face the USA, Portugal and the Netherlands at the World Cup.

Tran Thi Thu Thao and Churong Thi Kieu form the first-choice centre-back partnership and Ho Chi Minh City's Tran Thi Thuy Trang will have an important role to play as the holding midfield shielding the back four.    
 

Vietnam's Group fixtures:

Group E
USA vs Vietnam, Auckland, 22nd July 2023
Portugal v Vietnam, Hamilton, 27th July 2023
Vietnam vs Netherlands, Dunedin, 1st August 2023