Most players and coaching staff arrived at Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi. A smaller group of six players and two coaching staff landed at Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCMC.
After getting off the plane, the team were welcomed by leaders from the General Department of Physical Education and Sports.
About 100 fans were already waiting at Noi Bai Airport when the team arrived. They took photos with coach Mai Duc Chung and gave him a conical hat as a gift.
Forward Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha high-fives with some fans on her way out.
At the 2023 World Cup, the 21-year-old forward was absent from the opening match when Vietnam lost 0-3 to the U.S. because she was sick. Nha then started in the remaining two games. She showed her main strength, which is speed, with some plays that caused difficulty for the opponent's defense, although Vietnam lost 0-2 to Portugal and 0-7 to Netherlands.
Hoang Thi Loan was a key player for Vietnam’s defense. She played the full 90 minutes in the first two matches but only played 28 minutes in the defeat to Netherlands in the last round.
Stirker Huynh Nhu takes photos with a group of fans. The team captain started in the first two matches and came on as a substitute in the last 30 minutes of the defeat to Netherlands.
Nhu didn’t have many chances to show her goal scoring ability as Vietnam played defensively in all three games.
Coach Chung answered questions from the press at the airport. In the first time attending the World Cup, the team lost all three matches, conceding 12 goals, and failed to score. However, this result was not surprising since the level gap between Vietnam and other teams is well-known. Only losing 0-3 to defending champions U.S. in the first match was already considered a success.
Chung said the team see this World Cup as a valuable experience for all of Vietnamese women's football. He was satisfied with the fighting spirit demonstrated by his players in all three matches.
In HCMC, the atmosphere was somewhat more quiet. Besides some industry leaders, only a small group of fans and family members were at the Tan Son Nhat Airport.
Defender Chuong Thi Kieu smiles and waves at some fans who called out her name. The 27-year-old player took a long break due to injury and returned just before the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Therefore, coach Chung only used Kieu as a substitute and she often came on in the middle of the second and first half of the games.
Midfielder Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy started in all three matches for Vietnam at the World Cup. She made her biggest impression in the 0-2 loss to Portugal. She barely missed a scoring opportunity with a long shot in the second half of the game.
Midfielder Tran Thi Thuy Trang was one of the few players that didn’t get to play a single minute in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
At the national team level, the 34-year-old midfielder has played 60 matches for Vietnam, fewer than only five other players. She was part of the team that won the 2019 AFF Cup and four consecutive SEA Games gold medal. When the team attended the 2022 Asian Cup in India, many players suffered from Covid-19 and were unable to play. Trang was one of the few healthy players that played an important role in taking the team into the quarterfinals, which helped them claim a spot in the World Cup play-off.
Goalkeeper Chan Thi Kim Thanh signs a ball for a fan. Her spectacular saves were an important factor in helping the team limit the number of goals conceded.
After briefly interacting with fans and the media, the six players and two assistant coaches went home.
The players will have a week to rest before gathering again on August 10 to prepare for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China as well as the second qualifying round of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
