NAMMI NGUYEN has a relationship with VIETNAMESE football

Born in 2003 and raised in Saskatoon City - Canada, Nammi Nguyen or Nguyen Hoang Nam Mi has both Vietnamese parents, so she has dual citizenship.

Persistently pursue your passion

She started playing soccer at the age of four. "In Canada, children start playing sports as soon as they can run. My dad was a big influence and got me and my two siblings into soccer teams at a young age," Nammi said.

From her initial passion, Nammi persevered in pursuing soccer throughout her studies. She began her college soccer career at the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, making her debut on September 25, 2021, before moving back to her hometown to join the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, where she starred for two consecutive seasons and was named to the 2024 Canada West All-Star Team.

NAMMI NGUYỄN bén duyên với bóng đá VIỆT - Ảnh 1. — Nammi Nguyen in a training session with Ho Chi Minh City Club before being called up to the Vietnam national team. (Photo: THAO HOANG)

Before focusing entirely on school football, the female player also participated in athletics and cross-country races at the high school level. Currently, she is focusing on the Vietnamese women's team to prepare for the 2026 Asian Cup Women's Qualifiers in Phu Tho .

Opportunities from conversation at wedding reception

The opportunity to bring Nammi back to Vietnam to compete came from a... wedding party. "In January 2024, I returned to Vietnam to attend my cousin's wedding and was seated at the same table with a stranger. I told him I played football and he introduced me to an assistant coach for the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). He advised me to give it a try" - she recalled.

Not long after, a cousin who worked in the field of player brokerage also asked Nammi to send clips of the competition and share them online. At first, she did not expect much, but the response from the online community surprised her. "Vietnamese people love football. Some people say I am strong, others say I am... a bit short" - Nammi Nguyen recalled.

From that clip, Nammi received an invitation to attend the Vietnam women's team's training session to prepare for the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers and the SEA Games at the end of 2025. She even signed her first professional contract with the Ho Chi Minh City women's club in the semi-finals of the AFC Women's Champions League 2024-2025.

"At first, I only thought I would come to Vietnam to join the national team in early May, but then the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club reached the semi-finals of the Asian Women's Cup 1, they invited me and I decided to sign a contract. This opportunity came unexpectedly but was also very special" - Nammi said. The only regret is that she has not been able to officially compete in the tournament.

Don't forget to study

Wearing the shirt of a professional club for the first time, Nammi Nguyen could not hide her excitement: "I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. This is a stepping stone and I believe it can open many doors in the future."

When asked about the names that impressed her in Vietnam, Nammi did not hesitate to mention Chuong Thi Kieu, Huynh Nhu, Tran Thao and Thu Em.

According to her, being able to make friends and play alongside Vietnamese football stars in real life has a very special meaning. Nammi expressed: "I still remember cheering for Kieu and Nhu at the 2023 World Cup finals. Now playing with them makes me feel like a dream. Huynh Nhu is the first Vietnamese player I know and I have admired her since I was a child."

Before coming to Vietnam, Nammi Nguyen thought the possibility of wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey was far-fetched because no overseas Vietnamese player had ever been called up to the national women's team.

Nammi Nguyen will return to Canada in September to finish her studies in Vietnam. She is majoring in supply chain management. She said: "I still have 3 semesters left and I want to finish them, and play the remaining 2 seasons with the school team. But I also want to play professional football for as long as possible."

In the near future, Nammi Nguyen plans to stay in Vietnam - the family, language and familiarity here are the ideal starting point for a professional football journey. However, Nammi does not hide her desire to go further. "I think about other opportunities, such as the newly launched professional league in Canada or teams in Europe, Japan, the US... But I understand that I need to continue to improve myself if I want to reach that level" - she said.

For the Vietnamese team, Nammi and her teammates will begin their journey to qualify for the 2026 Women's Asian Cup with the opening match on June 29 at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho) against the Maldives. Coach Mai Duc Chung and his team are in Group E, along with Guam, UAE and Maldives.

Nammi Nguyen is 1.7 m tall, two-footed, and plays as a central midfielder. She has played for the Canadian U15 and U17 women's teams.

Striker Huynh Nhu commented on her new teammate at both the club and the national team: "Nammi has good qualities and a good physique. The national team needs players like that in all lines. Nammi has the advantage of speaking Vietnamese so she can communicate with everyone and is loved."