Thuy Trang: 'I just want to play for even a second at the World Cup'
"This is the first time I have been to such a big playground, and probably the last time," said the 35-year-old midfielder after arriving at Tan Son Nhat airport at noon on August 3. "The World Cup is the biggest tournament in the world, so I want to play, I want to be on the field for once, even a second, a minute."
Thuy Trang confirmed that she did not have any health problems. She believes that not being able to play can be calculated by the coaching staff and fully respects that. The Quang Nam hometown player added: "I'm very sad, but I have tried, tried my best. Anyway, attending the World Cup is also a good memory, and I am proud to contribute with my teammates for the first time. on the world's largest playground."
Thuy Trang is considered by fans as a "warrior" of Vietnamese women's football, because of her will to rise in life and career. She came to sports from futsal, twice winning the SEA Games silver medal with the Vietnamese women's futsal team. In 2014, Thuy Trang switched to playing professional football for Ho Chi Minh City Club. Since then, she and her teammates won seven national championships and three National Cups. After Huynh Nhu went to Portugal to play for Lank FC, Thuy Trang wore the captain's armband of Ho Chi Minh City.
At the national team level, the midfielder has played 60 matches, only fewer than Huynh Nhu, Hai Yen, Chuong Thi Kieu, Tuyet Dung and Bich Thuy. She was part of the team that won the AFF Cup 2019, four times won the SEA Games gold medal. In 2022, Thuy Trang won the Vietnam Silver Ball and was one of the 12 typical faces of Ho Chi Minh City.
On the journey to win tickets to the World Cup, through the 2022 Asian Cup in India in February 2022, Thuy Trang's mark was huge. Before the tournament, a series of key players infected with Covid-19, even only six of them flew to India as planned, making the team at times in danger of dropping out of the tournament. After passing the group stage, Vietnam lost 1-3 to China in the quarterfinals and had to attend the play-off round with Thailand and Taiwan. Thuy Trang is a few healthy players, playing from the beginning and making a great contribution to the gameplay.
In a post on the homepage on June 28 before the 2023 Women's World Cup, FIFA commented that Thuy Trang is one of the five most worth-watching players in Vietnam today, alongside goalkeeper Kim Thanh, midfielder Bich Thuy, and money. Daoist Thanh Nha and Huynh Nhu. The author further commented that in intense matches, Thuy Trang can be an inspirational character thanks to her tireless fighting spirit. She was also praised for her ability to hold the ball, keep the rhythm - which is very important against tall opponents in terms of body shape and muscle strength.
After the last match in the group stage, losing 0-7 to the Netherlands on August 1, coach Mai Duc Chung said that he did not use Thuy Trang because of tactical calculations, and because the student was old, he was careful and avoided to The team fell into disrepair.
Asked about this, Thuy Trang said that the coach did not meet privately or explain anything about not using her. However, she still reiterates respect for the coaching staff, and at the same time expressed her hope that the last tournament will be the foundation for Vietnamese football to fly high. more World Cup appearances.
After returning home, the players were given a week's rest. From August 10, the team will gather again to prepare for ASIAD in Hangzhou (China) as well as the second qualifying round of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Thuy Trang has no specific plan, although she once left open the possibility of retiring after the 2023 World Cup and then becoming a coach or a gym teacher "for a stable life" like her parents' wishes. Currently, in addition to the meager income from the club's salary, Thuy Trang has to earn extra money by working as a referee for movement tournaments with an income of 100,000-200,000 VND per game.
