Vietnamese footballer and shooting star reportedly in relationship

Their relationship drew attention during Vietnam’s 3–2 victory over Thailand in the men’s football final at the 33rd SEA Games on Dec. 18.

Thao appeared in the stands at Rajamangala Stadium and said it was her first time watching a football match live.

When asked which player impressed her the most, Thao said she "liked player number 3", referring to Duc. After that, the two began showing affectionate interactions on social media.

According to a source, Duc and Thao have been dating for about three months but have chosen not to go public. The shooter is said to have visited her boyfriend's family home in Tay Ninh Province in southern Vietnam earlier this year.

Previously, Thao dated another member from the Vietnam national shooting team in late 2024, but the relationship ended after seven months.

Pham Ly Duc (number 3) and Vietnamese teammates win the gold medal in men's football at the 33rd SEA Games after beating hosts Thailand Lý in Rajamangala in Bangkok, Dec. 18, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

Thao was born in 2004 in Hanoi. She is a member of the Army shooting team and holds the rank of First Lieutenant.

At the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam, Thao won gold in the women’s 10m rifle three positions event and silver in the women’s 10m air rifle. At the recent SEA Games in Thailand, she won a silver medal in the women’s team 10m air rifle, alongside Le Thi Mong Tuyen and Nguyen Thi Thao.

In October, Thao also won gold in the women’s 10m air rifle at the Southeast Asian Shooting Championships, also held in Thailand. With a total score of 250.1 points, she was recognized by the organizers for setting a new regional record in the event.

Phi Thanh Thao competes at the women’s 10m air rifle event at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

Ly Duc, born in 2003, trained at the PVF academy in Ho Chi Minh City before moving to Nutifood. In the 2023–2024 season, the 1.82-meter-tall defender was loaned to Ba Ria–Vung Tau to play in the First Division. From the following season, he became a regular starter for Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the V-League.

In July 2025, Duc moved north to join Cong An Ha Noi FC. Despite limited playing time, he has been regularly called up to the Vietnam national team and the U23 side, becoming a key figure in their title-winning campaigns at the 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship in Indonesia and the 33rd SEA Games.