Vietnamese-American sisters in reckoning for U19 football team

In Vietnam this month, Chelsea Le sent her videos and profile to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), expressing her desire to play for the U19 women’s team. After initial assessments, Japanese coach Akira Ijiri has agreed to have the 18 year-old and her sister Kyah, 16, for trials.

If the two sisters pass the trials, they will get to play for the U19 team at the AFC U19 Women Championship that will take place in October.

In the videos that Chelsea provided, she impressed with her pace and finishing skills, despite being shorter than her teammates. She currently plays for Spokane Shadow in the National Premier Soccer League, the second highest tier in the U.S. football league. During her spell with the club, she has won three titles.

With FIFA expanding the number of teams at the Women’s World Cup from 24 to 32, Vietnam can aim for a slot at the tournament in 2023, and these Vietnamese-origin young talents can be a great addition to the squad, observers say.

If they can meet the requirements to join the team, the federation will initiate necessary procedures to get them Vietnamese citizenship.