Road to Asian Cup 2026: The treacherous journey of Vietnamese women's football and lessons from defeat

The 0-3 defeat to the Japanese women's team last October remains an unhealed wound in the memories of those who follow Vietnamese women's football. Not because of the 0-3 scoreline, but because of the way our girls ran, contested, and never gave up despite knowing the outcome in advance. That night at Binh Duong stadium, forward Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung completed 11.3 km of running — a number that many professional male footballers would admire. But the result was still defeat. And the question is: Why wasn't the effort converted into victory? The answer lies in a reality few dare to speak: Vietnamese women's football is developing, but not fast enough to catch up with the continent's top competitors. This is not criticism — it is a roadmap drawn with data and facts. When I began following Vietnamese women's football in 2026, the women's V-League had only 8 participating teams, with a season lasting no more than 4 months. Most players were students or worked part-time, training early mornings or late evenings after work. Over the past 7 years, I have witnessed significant changes: the league expanded to 10 teams, many clubs began investing seriously in women's teams, and particularly the emergence of young talents like Tran Thi Thuy Trang and Pham Hai Yen, who brought historic goals for Vietnamese women's football at international tournaments. But statistics reveal a more complex picture. Over the past 5 years, the conversion rate of Vietnamese female forwards has fluctuated around 12-15%, while this figure stands at 28-32% in Japan and 24-26% in South Korea. The gap is not in individual technique — many Vietnamese women footballers possess technique no less impressive than any opponent — but in tactical systems, physical conditioning, and especially experience in high-competition environments. A deeper analysis of the match against Japan reveals a point commentators often overlook: Our Vietnamese girls lack not fighting spirit, but precision in final decisions. During the 90-minute match, the Vietnamese women's team created 7 potentially dangerous chances, but only 1 was executed with the necessary confidence. This is a consequence of limited match time at high-level competitions — each year, Vietnamese women footballers have only about 15-20 official matches at a high level, while their Japanese counterparts can reach 50-60 matches. This leads me to a somewhat contrarian observation: Investing in domestic competitions may be more important than chasing international tournaments. Not because international competitions are unimportant, but because the foundation of physical strength and tactics needs to be built from regular, high-intensity matches right at home. When I interviewed a foreign coach who worked with the Vietnamese women's team, he said something I will never forget: "They train hard, but lack real matches to test themselves. You can run 100km each week, but if no one is chasing you, you'll never know how fast you can run under real conditions." Physical conditioning is also a key factor I have closely monitored over the years. According to data I collected from AFF Women's Cup matches in 2026 and 2026, Vietnamese women footballers tend to slow down significantly in the last 15 minutes of the second half — about 18-22% compared to the first 15 minutes. Meanwhile, this figure for the Australian women's team is only 8-10%. This is not an issue of willpower — our girls never give up — but of nutrition, sports science, and especially scientific training cycles. A thought-provoking reality: Many women footballers in the current women's V-League must work part-time after training to earn a living. They lack not passion, not talent, only the conditions to fully develop that talent. And this is where clubs, sponsors, and fans need to reflect. Looking ahead, with Asian Cup 2026 approaching, the question is not "Can Vietnamese women's football beat Japan?" — that question is too far from current reality. The right question is: "What foundation are we building so that in 5 years, 10 years, this question is no longer far-fetched?" I believe the answer lies in three pillars: First, upgrade the women's V-League into a truly professional league, with a denser schedule and investment in refereeing systems and facilities. Second, create bridges between young players and international competition environments — not only through national team tournaments but also through loan programs or foreign playing opportunities. Third, and perhaps most importantly: change society's perception of women's football — not as a sport "for girls," but as a professional sports field worthy of serious investment. Returning to that match against Japan: When the final whistle blew, the Vietnamese women footballers still bowed to thank the fans. They did not cry, did not complain. They just stood there, sweating, with eyes looking forward. And I remember that in 27 years of following football, I have seen many teams suffer more painful defeats, but never seen any team with such resilient eyes. That is an energy that no statistic can measure. And that is why, knowing the road ahead is very long, I still believe in the future of Vietnamese women's football.