Why has the Vietnam women's national team not called up the overseas Vietnamese star players?

The Vietnam women's national team began preparations for SEA Games 33 without featuring any overseas Vietnamese players in the squad.

The Vietnam women's team gathered for their third training camp of 2025 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center (Hanoi) to get ready for SEA Games 33. Among the 26 players summoned by coach Mai Đức Chung, no overseas Vietnamese players were included, despite recent attention on names like Chelsea Le, Ashley Trâm Anh, and Nguyễn Hoàng Nam Mi.

These players had previously stood out while playing for Ho Chi Minh City women's club in the AFC Women's Club Championship, especially Chelsea Le, known for her technical skills and good stamina. Midfielder Nam Mi was also called up in a previous training camp but did not make the final roster. Therefore, the continued absence of overseas Vietnamese players in this camp has left many fans puzzled.

Regarding this issue, coach Mai Đức Chung frankly stated that the team has not been able to contact the group of overseas Vietnamese players and currently prioritizes using domestic talent. He said: "I have also suggested that overseas Vietnamese players return home to contribute to the country, but they have not yet met the requirements we need." According to him, to wear the national team jersey, overseas Vietnamese players must simultaneously meet multiple criteria regarding skills, fitness, and adaptability.

Besides professional reasons, some overseas Vietnamese players are currently playing for Ho Chi Minh City club in the AFC Women's Championship, which prevents their participation. Coach Mai Đức Chung emphasized that the team does not rely on external resources and sees this as an opportunity for local players to strive harder: “If we achieve good results without overseas Vietnamese players, that would be a positive sign.”

Coach Mai Đức Chung places hope in the younger generation such as Ngân Thị Thanh Hiếu, Trần Nhật Lan, and Lưu Hoàng Vân — promising talents with a strong desire to improve. Meanwhile, key players Huỳnh Như and Phạm Hải Yến remain in the squad, while Tuyết Dung is absent due to transitioning into coaching. Three players, Thái Thị Thảo, Dương Thị Vân, and Ngân Thị Vạn Sự, are training separately to recover from injuries.

According to the plan, the Vietnam women's team will train domestically for one month, then travel to Japan for a 10-day training camp with three friendly matches. Afterwards, the team will return to Ho Chi Minh City to acclimate before heading to Thailand, aiming to defend their SEA Games 33 gold medal.