The International Volleyball Federation praises the Vietnamese women's team

The Vietnamese women's volleyball team made a historic mark at the 2025 World Championship by winning a set against Poland, ranked third worldwide, earning high praise from FIVB and their opponents.

The Vietnamese women's volleyball team caused a major surprise in their opening match at the 2025 World Championship by securing a set win against Poland, currently ranked third in the world. Although they ultimately lost 1-3, the performance of coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt’s squad received widespread acclaim from international experts and their rivals alike.

Immediately after the match, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) published an article praising Vietnam with the phrase “an astonishing performance”. The Volleyball World homepage highlighted the breakout performance of Vi Thị Như Quỳnh, the 2002-born hitter who scored 20 points and stood out as the top player. Among these were 18 attack points, 1 block point, and 1 direct service ace, repeatedly challenging Poland's tall defense.

The opponents also showed special respect for the Vietnamese girls. Stysiak, Poland’s top scorer, admitted: “We have great respect for the Vietnamese team. They played excellently in the first set while we made many mistakes. Although Poland managed to come back and win, we will definitely learn lessons from this match.”. This comment partly reflects the pressure Vietnam imposed on one of the world’s leading teams.

Besides Như Quỳnh, several other players made significant contributions. Middle blocker Trần Thị Bích Thủy scored 9 points with effective quick attacks, Hoàng Thị Kiều Trinh added 8 points as the opposite hitter replacing Bích Tuyền, and captain Trần Thị Thanh Thúy contributed 6 points along with solid back-row defense. These numbers demonstrate the team's cohesive playstyle and resilient fighting spirit.

After the match, captain Trần Thị Thanh Thúy stated: “We are very happy to have played well against one of the strongest teams in the world. The team showed unity and determination. Our goal in this tournament is to learn and gain experience.”

With a set won against the world’s third-ranked team, Vietnam only lost 0.01 points and maintained their 22nd position on the FIVB ranking. This is a positive sign and provides great motivation for the girls ahead of upcoming challenges.

In the second round, Vietnam will face Germany (ranked 11th worldwide) on August 25, before meeting Kenya on August 27 to compete for a spot in the round of 16.