VFF pays tribute to coach Mai Duc Chung

Coach Mai Duc Chung officially parted ways with the Vietnam women's national team after his contract expired at the end of 2023. On the afternoon of February 4, the VFF held a ceremony to honor the veteran coach. All VFF leaders were present at this farewell event, including President Tran Quoc Tuan and 3 Vice Presidents Tran Anh Tu, Nguyen Xuan Vu, and Nguyen Trung Kien.

On behalf of the VFF Executive Committee, Vice President Tran Anh Tu expressed his gratitude to Coach Mai Duc Chung. The Vietnam Football Federation leaders emphasized the contributions of this coach, especially to the Vietnam women's team.

Coach Mai Duc Chung also thanked the leaders of the sports industry and the Vietnam Football Federation for always trusting him. The 72-year-old military leader thanked the centers, women's football clubs, coaching staff and students who have always accompanied him, and wished that Vietnamese women's football will continue to progress stronger in the future.

Coach Mai Duc Chung first led the Vietnamese women's team in 1996 and went through many stages. He and the team won 6 SEA Games gold medals - a record for women's football at the Games, won the Southeast Asian championship in 2019 and qualified for the 2023 World Cup.

In addition to women's football, Coach Mai Duc Chung also briefly led the national team and U23 Vietnam (temporary). He and Binh Duong Club won the V.League championship and the National Cup in 2015, and helped Navibank Saigon Club win the National Cup in 2011.

Coach Mai Duc Chung expressed his wish to "retire" from the beginning of 2023. At that time, he decided to stop his coaching career to rest after decades of continuous dedication to Vietnamese football as a player and coach.

In 2023, Coach Mai Duc Chung will lead the Vietnamese women's team to win the SEA Games 32 women's football gold medal and participate in the 2023 World Cup - the first time Vietnamese women's football will participate in the tournament. The 72-year-old coach's final tournament is the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifiers.