Vietnamese women's football squad warmly welcomed in Paris

Being invited to train and play a friendly match in France marked a proud step for the Vietnamese women’s football team and Vietnam’s sport sector, said Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang, who welcomed and hosted the players after their arrival in Paris on June 28.

The Vietnamese players sign their autographs for fans. (Photo: VNA)
The Vietnamese players sign their autographs for fans. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese both at home and abroad have closely followed the progress made by the squad, which triumphed the Southeast Asian Games for seven times and the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Women's Championship three times, the diplomat noted.

Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA)

Also at the meeting, Tran Quoc Tuan, Acting President of the Vietnam Football Federation, said the invitation reflects the French side’s high evaluation of the team and is a chance for the Vietnamese players to sharpened their skills and learn experience.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in France, head coach Mai Duc Chung said this is the first time the squad has received such a invitation from a strong team like France.

Captain Huynh Nhu said the friendly match will be a big challenge for the team but they will try their best.

As scheduled, the match will take place on July 1 following a three-day training of the Vietnamese players.

The game between Vietnam and France is held just before the former’s participation in the AFF Women's Championship in the Philippines from July 2-14, and the latter’s in the UEFA European Women's Football Championship in England from July 6-31.

Both squads have won tickets to the 2023 World Cup. In the FIFA Women's World Ranking, the Vietnamese and French teams are currently ranked 32nd and 4th, respectively.