Coach Mai Duc Chung returns to lead the Vietnamese women's team because of his love for girls and women's football - Photo: TTO
On the evening of February 20, Mr. Mai Duc Chung and four players of the Vietnamese women's team, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha, Hoang Thi Loan, Tran Thi Kim Thanh, and Pham Hai Yen, met with the media and interacted with fans on the occasion of the New Year 2025.
Previously, at the end of 2023, Coach Mai Duc Chung (76 years old) announced his farewell to the Vietnamese women's team and a complete retirement. Mr. Chung wanted to have time for his family and take care of his health after decades of working hard, contributing to bringing a lot of glory to Vietnamese football, especially women's football.
However, after only 6 months off, Coach Mai Duc Chung accepted the invitation of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to return to lead the women's team. Mr. Chung is probably one of the oldest national team coaches in world football, having turned 76 this year.
Talking to fans, Coach Mai Duc Chung said: "I actually only took 6 months off and during this time some players texted me saying: "If you quit, I might quit too". I am attached to the female players, love them very much so I want to return to lead the team. I returned to be the head coach of the Vietnamese women's team simply because of my love for women's football, not for money or status. When I returned to the team, many people were surprised."
Recently, Coach Mai Duc Chung was honored to receive the title of Hero of Labor from the President. This is an extremely valuable gift in his career as the number 1 coach of Vietnamese women's football.
Under the leadership of coach Mai Duc Chung, the Vietnamese women's team won 6 out of 8 SEA Games gold medals, including 4 consecutive gold medals from 2017 to 2023. In addition, Mr. Chung also led the Vietnamese women's team to 4th place at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and successfully participated for the first time in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup finals.
Sharing about the memory of bringing the women's team to the 2023 World Cup, Coach Mai Duc Chung said: During the 2022 World Cup qualifying tournament, the team went to Spain for training and almost the entire team was infected with COVID-19. At the most difficult time, the team only had 4 players who could go out to practice.
I once proposed to the VFF leadership to let the team withdraw from the tournament, because the players' health was not guaranteed, and there were not enough players, so how could they play? However, with the perseverance of VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan, the players gradually recovered and the team successfully passed through the narrow door to win a ticket to the 2023 World Cup in India in 2022.
Vietnam women's team aims to defend SEA Games 33 gold medal - Photo: TTO
Women's team aims to defend SEA Games 33 gold medal
In 2025, the Vietnamese women's team will have a busy schedule when participating in 3 very important tournaments: Southeast Asian Championship, Asian qualifiers, SEA Games 33. Previously, VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan said that the goal of the Vietnamese women's team is to defend the SEA Games 33 gold medal in Thailand next December.
Mr. Chung said that 2025 will therefore be an extremely busy and difficult year for him and the female players. At the age of 76, the number 1 strategist of Vietnamese women's football still looks strong and full of enthusiasm.
However, he said he has mild diabetes and insomnia, so he has to take some supportive medication. Coach Mai Duc Chung said that whenever the team needs him, the players need him, he is ready to join the team and contribute his best to Vietnamese football.
Tuoitre.vn
Comment (0)