Football

Coach Mai Đức Chung. — Photo courtesy of FIFA

HÀ NỘI — Coach Mai Đức Chung has received a Hero of Labour title – the highest honour in Việt Nam – for his outstanding achievements and contributions in national football and in sport overall.

Chung is one of the most respected coaches in Việt Nam, as he has taken the lead in many different positions in the national football community. He headed up different men's clubs in the national leagues before working as an assistant coach and coach of the national men's and women's football teams. 

He also worked as the head of the Sport Authority of Việt Nam's football department, and is currently an official in the Việt Nam Football Federation. In all of these positions, he earned awards and the utmost respect.

The well-known coach became the second person in sport to be awarded the title. Former director of the Hà Nội Department of Sports and Physical Training Hoàng Vĩnh Giang also received the honour in 2006.

Chung said the title was the most noble and honourable award he has received in his life. He thanked the local authorities for the recognition, and said he appreciated them for creating the best conditions for him and his teams to complete their tasks, adding that the companionship of the clubs, colleagues and players were all a part of his success.

"It is a motivation for me to continue to make efforts and contribute to Vietnamese football," said Chung, who agreed to lead the national women's squad after announcing his retirement last year. "My health may not be as good as it was previously, but I always remind myself to be more positive and do my best to earn more achievements with the team."

Chung, 73, worked as an assistant under coach Alfred Riedl for the national men's team in 2006 and temporarily took charge of the Olympic team when the Austrian coach got sick. Under Chung, Việt Nam defeated powerful Lebanon and Oman during the 2008 Beijing Olympics qualification.

In 2008, he was appointed head coach of the U22 side, which won the Merdeka Cup trophy in Malaysia that year.

His most well-known achievement was with the national women's team. Chung was a part of the team for three different periods in 12 years: from 2003 to 2005, in 2014 and again from 2016 to 2023. During his tenure, they secured six SEA Games titles with a record of four titles in a row from 2017 to 2023. He also earned the AFF Cup gold in 2019, fourth place at the 2014 Asian Games and fifth place at the 2022 Asian Cup. Notably, he was the first Vietnamese football coach to participate in a FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.

After he received the national honour, FIFA also praised Chung on its Women's World Cup Facebook page, writing Anh hùng Lao động (Hero of Labour) in Vietnamese with Chung's picture attached, showing him at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand.

Coach Mai Đức Chung in New Zealand in 2023 for the FIFA Women's World Cup. — Photo courtesy of FIFA

Chung agreed to take care of the women's team for the fourth time under a 1.5-year contract last May, following a temporary break with his family. This year, he will lead Việt Nam to compete in the ASEAN Cup in Indonesia in June, the Asian Cup 2026 qualifications (also in June), and the 33rd SEA Games in December in Thailand. —VNS