Stepping out of my comfort zone, I determined never to give up.

Tra Vinh is not a locality with a developed football movement , especially women's football . So what chance brought Huynh Nhu to football ?

- According to my father, I loved playing soccer since I was very young, around 2-3 years old I hugged the ball to play with. When I was a little older, I consciously asked my father to let me play soccer. Knowing that his daughter was passionate about soccer, my father agreed immediately.

When I was young, whenever I had difficulty playing soccer or lost to my friends, I would go home and ask my father to show me where I was lacking. My father was my first teacher about soccer and also the one who introduced me to this sport .

With the help of her father since she was little, but was football for Huynh Nhu just a passion or was she determined to become a professional player ?

- When I decided to pursue top-level football, at first I just thought it was fate. When I was in 10th grade in Tra Vinh, I received an offer to move to Ho Chi Minh City to play football, I immediately agreed without hesitation or much thought. Football chose me and I have no regrets about that.

Of course, when I came to Ho Chi Minh City, in addition to playing football, I continued to study well. My father always reminded me to study well because that would greatly support my personality in life and also create good behavior on the football field. My point of view is that once I choose something, I will stick with it until the end. For a girl and a young player like me at that time, there were many hardships and difficulties in a new environment, but I was always confident and more determined to achieve success.

When Huynh Nhu decided to become a professional football player and compete at the highest level , who encouraged Huynh Nhu the most ? Whenever she encountered difficulties, what did Huynh Nhu rely on to gain more mental strength and effort to overcome challenges ?

- Not only me but for anyone, I think family is always the most important support. In addition to teaching me how to play football when I was young, my father was always there to help me become stronger and more determined. My mother also supported me, but in a different way. There were many times when my mother felt sorry for me when I was tanned from sun exposure on the field. Then there were times when I was injured, my mother tried to hide her worries to encourage me more. That is what made me very touched and grateful to my mother. Sometimes I even had to comfort her back to reassure her about me.

Besides, my relatives, family members and friends always give me useful advice, good wishes and are willing to share and confide in me when I encounter difficulties. Having a solid spiritual support, I am more assured to focus on training and competition.

Female players are at a disadvantage compared to male players. But I don't care too much about that because the key is that I can live with my passion, pursue my favorite career. That is definitely boundless happiness for me personally and I am very grateful to everyone who has always been by my side, enjoying my successes as well as sharing my sadness when I fail.

When I returned to Vietnam after 6 months, my family prepared my favorite dishes and we were all very happy and joyful together. For me, family always comes first.

If she stays in Vietnam, will Huynh Nhu still have the motivation to strive after having won all the glory from the team to the individual ? Before joining Lank FC, did Huynh Nhu hesitate and anticipate the obstacles she would encounter ? Who did Huynh Nhu meet and ask for advice to make this historic decision for Vietnamese football ?

- Facing important turning points in my life and career, I often confided in Coach Doan Thi Kim Chi (HCMC) and Mai Duc Chung (Vietnam women's team). Ms. Kim Chi and Mr. Mai Duc Chung thoroughly analyzed my professional issues and the psychological and life challenges I would have to face when moving to a European country and training and playing in a completely different environment compared to Vietnamese football. They encouraged me and helped me to have great determination to commit to Lank FC.

In addition, my family also encouraged me to seek new challenges even though I had almost decided on this myself. I no longer hesitated and had more focus to be ready at the highest level to assert myself.

Why did Huynh Nhu choose Lank FC to join ? When the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic caused the time to go abroad to be postponed , did Huynh Nhu think about changing her decision ?

- I chose Lank FC and the Portuguese Women's National Championship through the introduction and transfer support of my agent. I wanted to come to Lank FC since 2019, but the deal did not happen at that time due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.

In the following 3 years, the two coaches Kim Chi and Mai Duc Chung always advised me to be patient, and when the situation stabilized, I should join Lank FC to take a big step forward in my career. Indeed, I also had a fleeting thought about my performance being affected by age, but my passion and desire to gain experience in Europe helped me quickly overcome it. Besides, I saw that Lank FC played very well, had stability and I had nothing to feel guilty about choosing this team in the summer of 2022.

Talking about age, when going to Portugal to play football at the age of over 30, Huynh Nhu determined what she needed to do to quickly catch up in all aspects, from life to training and competition ?

- Everyone knows that playing football in Europe requires a lot of physical strength. Players playing in Europe always have to work at high intensity and fast speed. I admit that I am at a disadvantage in terms of physique and have encountered many physical difficulties compared to my new teammates.

From a professional perspective, Coach Kim Chi and Coach Mai Duc Chung pointed out my strengths so that I could develop my professional abilities. Physical strength is extremely important but not everything. A player like me can aim for a mental style of play, making the most of my technical qualities to cover up my weaknesses. In addition, the two coaches always remind me to maintain a good spirit and strive at the highest level.

What is the secret and best preparation for Huynh Nhu to quickly integrate and soon achieve success at Lank FC?

- To integrate with teammates on the field as well as the training ground, for a player playing abroad for the first time like me, the psychological factor is very important. If I feel self-conscious, a player with a small physique like me will find it difficult to develop my skills.

With good preparation, I understood that the first thing I needed to do was to integrate as quickly and as well as possible into the Portuguese culture and lifestyle. That would have the most perfect impact so that I could get acquainted more easily, have closer and better solidarity with the team on the training ground as well as in matches.

Another important factor is language. Good communication with my teammates will help me when I need to correct technical movements and put together tactical plans. I think the club has helped me a lot and I have overcome difficulties quickly.

Admitting that she does not have a good physique (only 1m57 tall), is Huynh Nhu afraid when facing tall defenders in the Portuguese Women's National Championship? How does Huynh Nhu best utilize her skills to shine and score for Lank FC every time she plays ?

- As I have stated, players with good physique of course have an advantage when playing football. But being afraid of that is not the way I feel scared.

Before every match, I study the video to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent. Then, I focus on thinking about what I need to do to exploit the situations on the field. In fact, I do not care about scoring or assisting by any means. I always play my best every time I play and believe that the team's victory is the most important thing.

After a period of getting used to all aspects and now having integrated well with the living environment as well as the team , how is Huynh Nhu 's life off the field now ? How have the coaching staff and teammates at Lank FC helped Huynh Nhu maintain a comfortable spirit , positivity, and efficiency in training and competition ?

- In addition to training or competition time, I go to the gym 2-3 times a week to maintain good physical condition. In my free time, I go out or gather to eat, chat, and even chat with my teammates to strengthen solidarity, practice and improve my English communication skills, and also understand each other better.

Regarding technical issues, the coaching staff in general and the head coach in particular always make very strict requirements on tactics for each match and each training session. If there is anything that I or the players do not understand, we will discuss it immediately to receive a quick and timely answer. The coaching staff are all very professional and they are willing to answer anything the players want to clarify. When a player has been given specific instructions but still does not perform according to the coaching staff's tactical intentions, he will definitely be reprimanded and may be benched for the next match.

Who is Huynh Nhu's closest teammate both on the football field and in real life at Lank FC?

- Not only the sisters in the women's team but also anyone else at Lank FC, I can communicate. Everyone is close to each other and they help me feel very comfortable and happy like a family. When having a good mental state, the team's playing style is also more effective to aim for good results in each match.

Dancing seems to be a part of Portuguese culture. After each successful match, the whole team performs dances in the locker room and I also enthusiastically participate. This is also a necessary factor for the team to have high cohesion and maintain a comfortable mentality after hours of hard training and competition.

Having had experience playing football abroad , according to Huynh Nhu, what is the biggest obstacle that Vietnamese players need to overcome to achieve success ?

- I think it is difficult to choose the biggest obstacle, because playing football abroad, in this case in Europe, there are many differences in intensity, physical condition, playing style as well as culture and lifestyle. If you cannot adapt or adapt slowly to any factor, it can slow down the integration process and create psychological pressure.

Before deciding to step out of my comfort zone, I had determined that I would never give up. There was no easy way for me to move from Vietnam to Portugal and I also knew that I had to work hard to overcome it. I hope that what I have done will inspire and help Vietnamese female players become stronger, ready to seize the opportunity to play abroad to have great experiences and further improve their professional skills. That, in my opinion, will certainly help Vietnamese women's football to have good development steps. If there are economic conditions and opportunities, the age for young players to learn and experience starts from 15-16 years old for both boys and girls. By 18 years old (the age to sign a professional contract), the players can meet some professional requirements.

To overcome difficulties, players need to work hard and not back down from challenges. That is very important for female players, especially when playing abroad.

When I decided to go abroad, there were times when I thought I might not succeed. But I had my dream and always tried to make it come true.

Recently, Huynh Nhu won the 5th Vietnamese Women's Golden Ball in her career and this is a record for a female player . Compared to the 4 times she was awarded this noble individual title before, how does Huynh Nhu feel ?

- Winning the Golden Ball is a source of happiness and pride for myself, my family and my family. If I had to choose, I would be happiest with this 5th Golden Ball because 2022 is a very successful year for Vietnamese women's football when we successfully defended the SEA Games gold medal and for the first time in history won the right to participate in the World Cup finals.

At the 2023 Women 's World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand, the Vietnamese women's team will have to face very strong teams such as the US, the Netherlands and the Portuguese women's team. What does Huynh Nhu think about the opportunities of the Vietnamese women's team?

- The opponents in the group stage are all very strong teams. Not only me but my teammates will definitely try their best in every match. Being able to attend the World Cup finals is a great honor in every player's career and we will compete with the highest determination, hoping not to disappoint the fans' expectations.

The meeting between the Vietnamese women's team and the Portuguese women's team will certainly be very interesting for Huynh Nhu personally. So what does Huynh Nhu think about the football of the two countries?

- Currently, the professional women's league system and the quality of the clubs in Portugal are better, but there are also changes in Vietnam. Portuguese women's football is developing very well thanks to strong investment in recent years. I am very impressed with what I see in Portugal. In the coming years, Portuguese football will certainly become one of the leading football in Europe and so will the Portuguese women's team.

Men's and women's football in Vietnam are different. In recent years, Vietnamese football has received more attention but there is still a long way to go. Hopefully, Vietnamese women's football can develop professionally like in Portugal. Each team in the Portuguese women's national championship is allowed to register 8 foreign players and that makes each match higher quality.

Thank you Huynh Nhu for this interesting conversation !

Source: https://danviet.vn/co-gai-vang-bong-da-huynh-nhu-buoc-khoi-vung-an-toan-toi-xac-dinh-khong-bao-gio-bo-cuoc-20230417003942898.htm