Thuy Trang and wonderful things

BRAVE WOMAN

On the night of November 21, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig (Philippines), the Vietnamese women's futsal team defeated Thailand 2-1 to win the first-ever Southeast Asian women's futsal tournament (AFF Cup). The moment she and her teammates lifted the championship trophy, midfielder Tran Thi Thuy Trang also officially made history as the first female player to win the Southeast Asian championship in both the 11-a-side field (2019) and futsal (2024).

Thuy Trang (8) and her teammates lifted the 2024 Southeast Asian women's futsal championship trophy.

Southeast Asian media praised the girl born in 1988 for her extraordinary talent and will to create miracles not only for Vietnamese football but also for regional football. At the age of 36, the female player from Quang Nam is like a durable bridge and a rhythm-keeping point for the young Vietnamese women's futsal team of coach Nguyen Dinh Hoang to defeat all opponents in the tournament. Thuy Trang's battle experience and strong character, along with the great efforts of her teammates, helped the Vietnamese futsal team, despite having to play 5 matches in 5 consecutive days, still defeat the extremely strong opponent, Thailand.

One of the most impressive images of the Vietnamese women's team in the final match of the Southeast Asian women's futsal championship was the moment when Thuy Trang "fell" very hard to the ground after a sudden push from the Thai midfielder. Trang was in excruciating pain in her side but still fought on, and that painful moment seemed to have fueled her juniors' determination and will. The audience at home exploded with emotion when they saw Trang dribbling skillfully between tall opponents, or Phuong Anh shining with a double in the final match to win the Golden Boot award. Thanh Hang played very well, deserving the title of Best Player of the tournament; Thanh Ngan overcame the shock of an own goal (leading to Thailand's equalizer) to play focused and confident in the rest of the final match...

GRAPHICS: IMAGINE

Thuy Trang shared: "The tournament has a dense competition schedule, 5 matches in 5 days, which has worn down the women's physical strength, while the Thai team has the advantage of a day off. But when we entered the field, we all forgot about our fatigue and were determined to fight to the end for the country's flag. Personally, when I was hit hard by a Thai defender, I was in a lot of pain and couldn't breathe, but I told myself to stand up and not allow myself to fall. It was only when I got back to my hotel room that I felt the pain clearly. But it was nothing compared to the boundless happiness. The joy of victory was wonderful. We won with the brave spirit of the whole team, despite the physical disadvantage due to the competition schedule. With the brave spirit of Vietnamese women, we devoted our all, united in bringing glory to the Vietnamese team and Vietnamese football."

HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN THE FIRST VIETNAMESE WOMEN'S GOLDEN BALL AWARD

Tran Thi Thuy Trang is emerging as the leading candidate for the 2024 Vietnam Women's Golden Ball award, with a huge list of achievements: Captain of Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club, won the national championship, passed the AFC Champions League group stage; won the AFF Cup 2024 futsal championship. If she plays outstandingly in the 2024 Women's National Cup, she will have the opportunity to receive the Vietnam Women's Golden Ball for the first time - a title she deserves in her glorious and meaningful career.

I HOPE I HAVE MORE ACHIEVEMENTS TO GIVE MY PARENTS

Tran Thi Thuy Trang was once with the Vietnamese women's futsal team, winning 2 silver medals at the 26th SEA Games in 2011 and the 27th SEA Games in 2013. As an important turning point in her life, Trang decided to switch to soccer (11 players) and also achieved great success. Trang now has a huge collection of achievements that the Southeast Asian press praised as the collection of one of the greatest female players in Southeast Asia. Trang once won the SEA Games gold medal with the Vietnamese women's soccer team. She also fought bravely with her teammates, overcoming many hardships to win a ticket to the 2023 World Cup.

Thuy Trang (right) plays aggressively in the final match of the Southeast Asian women's futsal tournament.

Saying goodbye to the Vietnamese women's team after the 2023 World Cup, Thuy Trang returned to the Ho Chi Minh City women's futsal team and won the national women's futsal championship. Summoned to the national women's futsal team, Trang made a great contribution to making Vietnam the first "queen" of the 2024 Southeast Asian futsal tournament. The female midfielder nicknamed "Luka Modric VN" is still playing both 11-a-side and futsal. Remember, right after returning from the 2024 AFF Cup, Thuy Trang only had one day off and then flew to Hanoi to join the Ho Chi Minh City women's club to defend the National Cup championship. After this tournament, Trang joined the Vietnamese women's futsal team to compete in the qualifying round of the 2025 Asian Women's Futsal Cup in Myanmar from January 15 to 19, 2025.

Trang cannot have a full day of rest because she still has big challenges to conquer. Trang confided: "I hope that the Vietnamese women's futsal team will pass the qualifying round to enter the Asian finals in May 2025. And if we reach the Asian tournament, we have a burning desire to continue the miracle for Vietnamese women's futsal with a ticket to the 2025 FIFA Women's World Cup in the Philippines. The Philippines is where we won the Southeast Asian championship. If we return here for the FIFA Women's World Cup, it will be great. At the club level, I hope to join the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club to defend the championship in the Vietnamese women's national tournament."

Contribute to Ho Chi Minh City Club

The 2022 Vietnamese Women's Silver Ball shared: "The medals and achievements that I strive to achieve are gifts for my parents in response to their expectations and sacrifices for me. In every match, big or small, whether at club or national team level, I always give my all to win the highest position. My parents have never asked me for anything material, but I know what I have to do. Every month, I send allowances to my parents and buy necessary items and medicine to improve the health of the whole family. I hope I will have more special gifts for my parents, such as a ticket to the 2024 Asian Futsal Championship. That is magical and wonderful."

AS LASTING AS LUKA M ODRIC

When asked why she was nicknamed "Luka Modric of Vietnamese women's football", Thuy Trang explained: "Maybe people see me playing as persistently as Modric. Being compared to a big world star is a source of pride and happiness for me, giving me more motivation to be worthy of the trust people have placed in me. My contract with Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club is until the end of 2025. I also have a level 1 futsal coach certificate from AFC, but I have no plans to retire, but will play until I no longer have the strength to stop."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thuy-trang-va-nhung-dieu-tuyet-dieu-185241125233106891.htm