Huynh Nhu: 'Not afraid even though the opponent is the US champion'
* Vietnam - USA: 8am Saturday 22/7, on MetaSports.
In their first appearance in the World Cup, Vietnam fell into a group with the defending champion USA, the runner-up in 2019 Netherlands and Portugal. The team will play against the US on July 22 at Eden Park with a capacity of 50,000 seats, in Auckland - New Zealand's largest city.
At the 2019 World Cup, the US won the Southeast Asian representative Thailand with a record score of 13-0 in tournament history. Many people fear that the same scenario will happen to Huynh Nhu and his teammates. However, Vietnam's captain striker affirmed: "We have gone through a difficult journey to be here. Vietnam is not a strong team compared to the world level, but we are always proud and will do our best to bring the image of Vietnamese people to the world, thereby inspiring Vietnamese football to develop in the future.
Vietnam is one of eight rookie teams at this World Cup. Information about Huynh Nhu and his teammates is also quite meager. The team's play was only partially shown through two friendly matches before the tournament, losing 0-2 to New Zealand and 0-9 to Spain.
According to Huynh Nhu, she and her teammates have prepared mentally and have experience in meeting top teams before the tournament, so there is nothing to fear. The 31-year-old striker thanked the fans for their support and urged fans to believe in the team at the 2023 World Cup, and revealed that she often talks to boost the team's morale before each game, but declined to reveal details.
Huynh Nhu is the only member of Vietnam who is competing abroad. She played 23 games, scored seven goals and provided two assists for Lank Vilaverdense in the Portuguese league last season. Lank wants to keep the Vietnamese captain for another season, and the two sides are negotiating a contract extension.
Fortunately, with the support of his family, Huynh Nhu became acquainted with football from an early age. Under the guidance of his father, a former player, the striker born in 1991 trained with male peers before becoming a professional player. Up to now, Huynh Nhu has won the Vietnam Golden Ball five times, won seven national championships with Ho Chi Minh City Club, won the AFF Cup 2019 and won the SEA Games gold medal four times with the Vietnamese team.
"For me, like the Vietnamese female players, my family is a great source of motivation. Therefore, I am very happy when my parents take the time to come here to encourage me. Sometimes I remember the old days, when I played plastic soccer or used coconuts to practice. Now, everything is different. I can attend the World Cup. It can be said that it is a fairy tale come true for me," Huynh Nhu said.
