Surprising candidate to replace coach Mai Duc Chung in leading the Vietnam women's national team

Coach Hoang Van Phuc is regarded as a heavyweight candidate who may take over from coach Mai Duc Chung to lead the Vietnam women's national team in the coming period.

Coach Hoang Van Phuc is currently being evaluated as one of the potential candidates who could succeed coach Mai Duc Chung in guiding the Vietnam women's national team in the near future. This information emerges in the context that the veteran strategist has expressed his desire to step down after the women's team halted their progress in the recent crucial qualifying round.

In the final match of Group C of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup held on March 10 afternoon, the Vietnam women's national team suffered a 0-4 defeat against Japan. This result caused Huynh Nhu and her teammates to be eliminated from the tournament, and also prevented them from securing a ticket to the next cycle's Women's World Cup. After the match, Coach Mai Duc Chung voiced his intention to withdraw from the captain's position of the national team.

This decision did not surprise many people, as the coach born in 1951 is now 75 years old. Previously, he once parted ways with the Vietnam women's national team, but later returned to lead when the Vietnam Football Federation had not found a suitable replacement plan.

Throughout many years of dedication, Coach Mai Duc Chung has left a significant mark on Vietnamese women's football. Under his guidance, the women's team not only maintained its top position in Southeast Asia but also won many important titles. Notably, he was the one who led the Vietnam women's national team to make its first appearance at the 2023 Women's World Cup.

According to evaluations from a high-ranking leader of the Vietnam Football Federation, the contributions of Coach Mai Duc Chung to Vietnamese football are highly commendable. Simultaneously, VFF also stated that they have prepared for the scenario of the veteran coach leaving his position, though they have not officially announced the succession personnel plan.

Among the mentioned candidates, Coach Hoang Van Phuc stands out as a noteworthy option. The former head coach of the Vietnam national team is an experienced coach, having led Quang Nam to win the V.League 2017 championship and having worked with women's football. With his extensive experience in coaching, he is seen as a candidate who could take on the role of leading the Vietnam women's national team in the next phase.