Despite their recent World Cup success, women in football still face challenges – Sports – Vietnam News | Politics, Business, Economy, Society, Life, Sports

Việt Nam gamers have a good time their 2-1 victory and qualification of the FIFA Ladies’s World Cup. This would be the first time Việt Nam seem on the world’s greatest footballing stage. Photograph FIFA.com

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has dubbed Việt Nam’s nationwide ladies soccer workforce ‘diamond ladies’ after they certified for the 2023 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup for the primary time, regardless of all of the challenges they face off the sector. 

He mentioned they confirmed the expertise, intelligence, will and mettle of Vietnamese individuals as they overcame hardships to carry residence victories. Their success additionally unfold constructive vitality to nationwide supporters and sports activities lovers.

They’ve gained the Southeast Asian championship 3 times, the Southeast Asian Video games six instances and on the in Asian Cup final month they had been within the high 5. Qualification for the World Cup is the best achievement of the ladies’s nationwide workforce. 

Laborious life

PM Chính nevertheless expressed worries concerning the difficulties that feminine gamers face. Some can’t guarantee a high quality commonplace of life and battle to earn cash after retirement from the game. 

“At present our revenue is a lot better than prior to now. I’m a participant within the first workforce at my membership and a member of the nationwide workforce so I obtain a fairly good wage and bonus,” mentioned defender Hoàng Thị Mortgage. She earns VNĐ12 million (US$524) monthly when she performs for the nationwide workforce.

This revenue is the best amongst Việt Nam feminine gamers and solely key gamers in Hà Nội and HCM Metropolis, who’ve ample monetary sources and good sponsors, are paid.

At different golf equipment, gamers solely obtain a number of million of đồng. That is decrease than the common pay of a manufacturing unit employee, who’re thought of among the many lowest-paid individuals in Việt Nam.

Low revenue can also be the primary motive for early retirement or job modifications.

Sơn La FC is a typical instance. Ten years in the past the workforce was residence to nearly 30 members. Nonetheless, this yr the workforce have requested the go away the nationwide championship as they solely have 4 gamers accessible.

“My gamers give up to return residence to get married and to change into employees,” mentioned coach Lường Văn Chuyên.

Chuyên mentioned his gamers obtain VNĐ3 million ($131) monthly. When there’s a event, they are going to get just a little more cash for coaching and competing on the occasion. However it’s occasional and is a most of VNĐ7 million ($306).

Nonetheless, in the event that they work in factories they’ll earn as much as VNĐ10 million ($437).

Thái Nguyên FC has the same construction; their gamers return to coaching when there’s a event, however in any other case, they’re employees.

“They’re paid about VNĐ3-4 million for enjoying soccer, whereas in industrial zone factories they’ll make as much as VNĐ7 million. We can’t refuse once they ask permission for further work,” mentioned coach Đoàn Việt Triều.

Midfielder Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung in entrance of her small restaurant in Hà Nam Province. Photograph of Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung

To those that are nonetheless in love with soccer, after competitions, they work tougher of their free time to nurture their ardour.

Proficient midfielder Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung opened a small inn at residence. Strikers Phạm Hải Yến and Huỳnh Như and midfielder Nguyễn Thị Bích Thùy all have their on-line enterprise promoting garments, cosmetics and lots of different issues.

Huỳnh Như set up a enterprise promoting a Trà Vinh speciality — coconuts. Photograph of Huỳnh Như

One other drawback that nationwide head coach Mai Đức Chung is anxious about is that lots of his ‘daughters’ are nonetheless single after retirement.

Chung mentioned what he desires to obtain most is a marriage invitation from his athletes, however this solely not often occurs. 

“They’ve tried their greatest for the nation and made notable achievements. I hope ladies’s soccer will obtain excellent care from all events in order that they’ll develop higher,” Chung mentioned.

“I additionally need them to have good jobs after retirement. Greater than that, I need them to stay a contented household life.”  

His assistant Đoàn Thị Kim Chi used to play professionally. 

The striker ended her good profession in 2010 and moved to work as a coach for HCM Metropolis FC. Now, on the age of 42, she continues to be single.

Present nationwide skipper Như, 30, and her teammate Yến, 27, used to have boyfriends however at the moment are single once more.

“I used to be in a relationship with an individual in 4 years earlier than breaking apart. Enjoying soccer means I’ve no time for myself or him,” mentioned Như.

Coach assistant Đoàn Thị Kim Chi is single after a few years taking part in soccer. Photograph Kim Chi

The one married lady within the workforce is midfielder Phạm Hoàng Quỳnh. She believes that her husband understands her ardour as a result of he’s additionally a footballer.

Extra assist wanted

After their World Cup marketing campaign, the ladies’s workforce had been promised nearly VNĐ27 billion ($1.2 million) in bonus from completely different enterprises and organisations.

It’s not the primary time they change into the centre of the group and so they anticipate higher lives, if bonuses are delivered.

Nonetheless, up to now, solely a part of the money has arrived. The remainder, presently, is just promised. 

The 2015 Golden Ball winner Nguyễn Thị Minh Nguyệt mentioned she and her teammates encourage one another overcome their challenges, though they knew it’s troublesome to alter their future and the perspective of individuals in direction of ladies’s soccer.

“We elevate one another up, considering that if we attempt our greatest, followers will assist us. However we all know, there can be little change,” mentioned Nguyệt, who’s now a health coach.

“Individuals promised lots however then, did nothing. It’s not simply in Việt Nam that ladies’s soccer can also be missed. I need my successors to be handled higher. I hope that guarantees can be carried out, and are usually not simply phrases. And most significantly, if I’m assured a job after soccer, it could be nice,” she mentioned.

“We endure many disadvantages however the saddest factor is the wage. I wish to cry,” mentioned Dung.

However she was inspired by her teammate Yến, who believes that if she tries her greatest and will get good outcomes she’s going to get what she deserves.

On the meet with the workforce, PM Chính spoke of the eye the ‘diamond ladies’ have been receiving. 

“We have to have a coverage for profitable athletes. It would ensure that after their victory ceremonies, athletes’ lives can be well-taken care of, particularly after their retirement,” he mentioned.

PM Phạm Minh Chính requires extra consideration and assist for feminine soccer gamers. Photograph of VGP

Chính affirmed that their achievement displays the robust improvement of Vietnamese ladies’s soccer, and expressed his hope of extra assist.

He requested businesses, significantly the Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism, to additional evaluate, construct and consolidate appropriate, synchronous insurance policies to advertise ladies’s soccer.     

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs was additionally requested to work on insurance policies in direction of footballers after their retirement.

The Ministry of Finance would set up a fund for girls’s soccer and situation mechanisms and insurance policies to create monetary assets for the game. — VNS