Football 

Hoàng Văn Phúc (right, first row) will take charge of the national women's football team of Việt Nam till end of 2027. Photo courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc promises to help Việt Nam get high results in his reign after he is appointed head coach of the national women's football team of Việt Nam.

Phúc signed a contract with the Việt Nam Football Federation (VFF) in a ceremony on April 17 in Hà Nội.

The 62-year-old replaces his predecessor Mai Đức Chung, who decided to retire after Việt Nam's failure in the recent Asian Cup, failing to qualify for the quarter-final round.

Phúc will lead the team to compete at the upcoming Asian Games in September in Japan and will help them defend their title at the 34th SEA Games in Malaysia in 2027.

Speaking at the ceremony, VFF General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú hoped that with his experience and knowledge of national football, Phúc would guide his team to positive achievements and complete all their tasks, lifting Việt Nam's women's football position in the international arena.

In his response, Phúc said it was his honour to take the hot seat and responsibility. He would work closely with the coaching board and players to maximise athletes' ability and play well in the upcoming tournaments.

Phúc expected to receive strong support from football managers, fans and media which would be great motivation for his team in particular and Việt Nam's football development in general.

Born in 1964, Phúc played as defender for many clubs such as Thể Công, Military Zone 3, Việt Nam Railway. He retired in 1996 and worked as a coach, now holding a Pro coaching certificate by the Asian Football Confederation.

He took charge of Hà Nội ACB, Quảng Nam and Sài Gòn FC with the best achievement being the national premier league trophy with Quảng Nam FC in 2017.

In the national level, Phúc led the U16 team to win the Southeast Asian championship in 2009. He was also head coach of the national U22/U23 squad from 2012 to 2014.

In 2024, he was Chung's assistant at the national women's squad who are currently SEA Games reigning champions and FIFA World Cup 2023 participants. — VNS