A milestone in volleyball history.

Today, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team officially takes to the court in their opening match at the 2025 Women's World Volleyball Championship. This is a historic moment, marking the first time Vietnamese volleyball has participated in what is considered the biggest tournament in the world. Among the 32 participating teams, Vietnam is the only "newcomer," a special position that is both novel and something to be proud of.

Previously, Vietnamese sports had participated in many world championships, even making their mark at the Women's Football World Cup, futsal, and winning a prestigious Olympic gold medal. However, the fact that a team sport, which demands depth, endurance, and high levels of coordination, has reached a world-class level means more than just a mere achievement. Compared to individual sports, team sports always face enormous challenges. There have been times when participating in the World Cup or world championships in team sports was considered beyond reach.

At this year's Women's Volleyball World Championship, in addition to the two automatic spots for the host nation and the defending champion, 15 other spots are allocated to the top three teams from the five continents. The remaining 15 spots are based on the rankings of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). Thanks to their 4th place ranking in Asia, the Vietnamese women's volleyball team received a spot from Thailand after the continental champion was chosen to host the event. Currently, Vietnam is ranked 22nd in the world, ahead of eight other teams participating in this year's tournament. This is an unprecedented high ranking for a Vietnamese team sport in the global ranking system.

Participating in the World Championship and the current standing of Vietnamese women's volleyball can be considered a milestone for the country's sports. It is the sweet fruit of a journey of over 30 years of progress for Vietnamese volleyball. Since the 1990s, volleyball has been a pioneering sport in terms of social development, organizing international events and hosting many important Asian tournaments. Volleyball also had the earliest national championship after the reunification of the country and currently has a tournament for the U23 team. Specifically for women's volleyball, we have two prestigious international tournaments annually, a feat maintained for nearly two decades – something no other sport has achieved. Volleyball also has the most athletes playing abroad, with memorable achievements such as Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa winning the Asian Championship with a club in Thailand; and Tran Thi Thanh Thuy signing a contract to play in the Turkish National Championship, where the team is ranked 6th in the world.

The rapid progress of Vietnamese women's volleyball is not due to luck, but to the perseverance and determination of those involved in the sport. This was proven by the historic victory against Thailand in the final of the recent Southeast Asian Championship, preceded by two consecutive wins against South Korea, one of Asia's volleyball powerhouses. These victories have given fans confidence in Coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet's team in their historic debut, hoping they will deliver courageous and impressive performances against top 10 teams like Poland and Germany.

This participation marks the beginning of a new journey. Regardless of the outcome, the presence of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team at the biggest tournament on the planet is a vivid testament to their perseverance, their willingness to dream big, and their determination to conquer. For the coaches and players of the women's volleyball team, the journey to conquer new heights has only just begun and promises to write many more memorable chapters for Vietnamese sports.

YEN PHUONG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/moc-son-cua-bong-chuyen-post809725.html