Coach Mai Duc Chung wishes Dan Tri readers a Happy New Year and looks forward to the World Cup.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Coach Mai Duc Chung of the Vietnamese women's national football team sends his best wishes for peace and happiness to the readers of Dan Tri Newspaper and Vietnamese football fans. The respected coach wishes Dan Tri Newspaper success in the new year.

Coach Mai Duc Chung received the title of Hero of Labor in 2025, the First-Class Labor Medal in 2023, and the Second-Class Labor Medal in 2019.

Mr. Chung was twice elected as the National Outstanding Coach in 2005 and 2019 (across all sports ).

Despite being busy preparing for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup finals (March 1st to 21st in Australia), Coach Mai Duc Chung still took the time to address the readers of Dan Tri newspaper and Vietnamese football fans.

The esteemed coach said: "On the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2026 (Year of the Horse), I would like to wish the readers of Dan Tri newspaper abundant health, happiness, and success!"

The past year has been a turbulent one for Vietnamese football in general, and for the Vietnamese women's national football team in particular. Coach Mai Duc Chung and a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper look back on the past year to look forward to a more successful and fruitful new year.

At the age of 75, coach Mai Duc Chung is still full of passion for Vietnamese football (Photo: VFF).

A reputable newspaper with coach Mai Duc Chung and the Vietnamese sports community.

Coach Mai Duc Chung shared: “I hope readers will always support Dan Tri newspaper, one of the most reputable and high-quality newspapers. Readers who support the newspaper by offering sincere, frank, and realistic feedback will help the newspaper learn from experience and develop even better.”

“When readers near and far follow Dan Tri newspaper, I know that they are also following Vietnamese football, especially women's football. I say this because Dan Tri newspaper has always been one of the fastest and most in-depth sources of information about the developments in our country's football, including women's football,” added Coach Mai Duc Chung.

In 2026, right after the Lunar New Year, the Vietnamese women's national football team will undertake a very important task: participating in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Finals. Only 12 teams will participate in this tournament, which also serves as a qualifying event for the 2027 World Cup.

Coach Mai Duc Chung shared: “Last year, we can never forget the bitter defeat of the Vietnamese women's football team against the Philippines in the SEA Games 33 final. We lost because Bich Thuy's legitimate goal was disallowed by the referee due to an imaginary offside error.”

"In high-stakes matches, especially finals, the outcome is often decided by a single goal. But we were denied that legitimate goal before being unlucky in the penalty shootout. Therefore, I can say that the Vietnamese women's football team did not lose."

Now, we look back on the journey of the past year to do better in the new year. At the upcoming Asian Women's Football Championship, the team's goal is to finish in one of the top two positions in the group, aiming for a place in the quarterfinals. After reaching the quarterfinals, we will aim for a ticket to the 2027 World Cup," said coach Mai Duc Chung.

Dreaming of the next World Cup for Vietnamese women's football (Photo: Manh Quan).

At the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup, the Vietnamese women's national team is in Group C along with Japan, India, and Chinese Taipei. According to the tournament regulations, the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams (a total of three groups), will advance to the quarterfinals.

The four winning teams in the quarter-finals qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup, while the four losing teams in the Asian Championship quarter-finals will compete in the continental play-offs, following a single-match knockout format.

The two winning teams in the Asian play-offs will advance to the World Cup finals. The two losing teams in the Asian play-offs will compete in the intercontinental play-offs, with representatives from other continents vying for a last-chance World Cup spot. Therefore, the Vietnamese national team has a significant chance of qualifying for the World Cup.

Coach Mai Duc Chung expressed: “Every word of encouragement from sports-loving readers and fans near and far warms our hearts when we are competing away from home. When we receive these words, the Vietnamese women's football team feels that there are always people supporting us.”

"In the new year, let's work together to take Vietnamese football, and the Vietnamese women's national football team, to new heights," emphasized coach Mai Duc Chung.

Dedicated to the national flag and colors.

To date, Coach Mai Duc Chung still holds the record for being the oldest head coach to ever participate in the World Cup finals (including both men's and women's football). At the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Coach Mai Duc Chung set a record for participating in the World Cup at the age of 72.

Now, at the age of 75, this veteran coach is still dedicated to Vietnamese football, still aiming for his second World Cup appearance in his coaching career.

One of the rare individuals in the history of world football to achieve success in both men's and women's football (Photo: TH).

If the Vietnamese women's national football team qualifies for the 2027 World Cup and coach Mai Duc Chung continues to lead the team at that tournament, he will set a new record, coaching at the World Cup at the age of 76. This would be an unprecedented milestone in the world of football.

Even the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website was amazed by Coach Mai Duc Chung's perseverance. They wrote: "Coach Mai Duc Chung's passion for football remains burning brightly. For him, the development of Vietnamese football is always the most valuable thing. Although he had decided to retire in 2023, he decided to return."

"He returned because the allure of Vietnamese football was too irresistible. After reaching the pinnacle of qualifying for the 2023 World Cup, Mr. Chung had previously relinquished the head coach position to his successor."

However, in the context of women's football struggling to find a suitable replacement, the VFF once again turned to one of the most outstanding figures in the history of Vietnamese football, Coach Mai Duc Chung. Coach Chung accepted the offer with a tremendous sense of responsibility,” the AFC continued, expressing its admiration for Coach Mai Duc Chung.

Coach Mai Duc Chung's career has been filled with glory. He has won six SEA Games gold medals (in 2003, 2005, 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023), the Southeast Asian Championship in 2019, finished 4th at the 17th Asian Games in 2014, and qualified for the 2023 World Cup by finishing 5th at the 2022 Asian Cup.

Furthermore, coach Mai Duc Chung has also been successful as a men's football coach, having won the V-League in 2015, reached the semi-finals of the AFC Cup Winners' Cup in 2009 (with Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC), won the National Cup in 2011 (with Navibank Saigon FC), and led the Vietnamese men's national football team in 2017.

New Year's greetings to Dan Tri readers and football fans nationwide (Photo: VFF).

Mr. Chung had nothing left to prove about himself, but he still decided to return to the Vietnamese women's national football team as soon as the VFF offered him the opportunity, because, as he confided to a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper : "I'm getting old, and I want to spend time with my family, my children and grandchildren, and especially with my wife."

"But when the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) extended the offer, I couldn't refuse. Vietnamese women's football needs me, I couldn't decline," Chung revealed the reason he is still working at the age of 75.

Coach Mai Duc Chung continued his story for the new year: "My biggest dream for the Year of the Horse is to lead the Vietnamese women's football team to their second World Cup in history. We will not stop striving to make that dream a reality."

"For Dan Tri newspaper specifically, the past year has been very successful, achieving many valuable milestones. I wish the newspaper even more success in the new year, and that it will continue to be a dedicated and passionate supporter of Vietnamese women's football."

Once again, I wish Dan Tri newspaper a successful Lunar New Year of the Horse! Coach Mai Duc Chung sent us his warmest wishes on the occasion of the traditional Tet holiday!

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-mai-duc-chung-chuc-tet-doc-gia-dan-tri-huong-ve-world-cup-20260215175005522.htm