Farewell to the football field, the Vietnam national team midfielder makes a surprising return in futsal

Having stepped away from football last October, midfielder Tuyết Dung recently made a comeback in a completely new role with the Phong Phú Hà Nam futsal club in the National Championship.

In the opening round of the 2025 National Women's Futsal Championship on the afternoon of December 29, Tuyết Dung’s appearance in the Phong Phú Hà Nam jersey quickly became the center of attention. This marked her first time trying out professional futsal. She was also entrusted with the captain’s armband.

The match against Thái Sơn Nam Ho Chi Minh City on December 29 was seen as a true test for Tuyết Dung in a playing environment completely different from 11-a-side football. Facing one of the most experienced and traditionally strong teams in Vietnamese women's futsal, Phong Phú Hà Nam faced many challenges.

In the final minutes, when the northern team pushed forward and used a power-play tactic to seek an equalizer, an imperfect play caused Phong Phú Hà Nam to pay the price and accept a 1-3 defeat. Nevertheless, this result was expected as Thái Sơn Nam Ho Chi Minh City is still rated higher in squad depth and competitive experience.

Putting the result aside, the biggest highlight of the match was Tuyết Dung officially opening a new chapter in her career by switching to futsal. After saying goodbye to 11-a-side football, she decided to challenge herself in a sport demanding different speed, technique, and spatial awareness. Before Tuyết Dung, Trần Thị Thuỳ Trang also returned to futsal and achieved great success.

Besides playing futsal, Tuyết Dung also focuses on coaching and training. Currently, she works as an assistant coach at the Phong Phú Hà Nam women's club, holds an AFC C-level coaching license, and plans to upgrade it in the near future.

Tuyết Dung is one of the biggest icons in Vietnamese women's football. With over 131 appearances for the national team, she scored 53 goals, significantly contributing to 4 SEA Games gold medals, 2 AFF Cup titles, and notably the historic qualification for the 2023 Women's World Cup. She won Vietnam’s Golden Ball twice (2014, 2018) and left a strong impression with her rare ability to score directly from corners with both feet, a unique skill praised by FIFA.

Recently, at the 2025 Vietnam Golden Ball Awards ceremony, Tuyết Dung was honored again with the Dedication Award, recognizing her enduring journey and significant contributions to national football.