A modest achievement, a significant step forward for Vietnam’s women’s volleyball
By winning just one set in their first match at their debut World Championship, the Vietnam women’s volleyball team unlocked the door to embark on their quest for global heights. The loss to Poland was not surprising, but perhaps the European side did not expect the challenges they faced in their opening game as a title contender.
More than a month ago, at the 2025 Nations League—a tournament even more elite than the World Championship, gathering the strongest teams based on global rankings—Poland consecutively defeated China twice, Japan, and Thailand. They only lost to Italy and Brazil, the world’s number 1 and 2 teams. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s women’s volleyball team had very limited chances to compete against European opponents due to their lower ranking.
The significance of Vietnam’s women’s volleyball team’s set win over Poland lies precisely in that fact. It was not merely a historic set victory but also a proud demonstration of how Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt’s players faced a vastly superior opponent in every way. The fourth set was even more noteworthy. After Poland easily won the first two sets 25/10 and 25/12, everyone thought it was all over and that Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt’s team would surrender.
But it was wonderful to see Như Quỳnh and Bích Thùy play outstandingly, pushing the fourth set to tense moments. We took the lead, fell behind significantly, yet persistently recovered point by point with Bích Thùy’s swift attacks and Như Quỳnh’s powerful spikes and serves. Vietnam still lost the fourth set 25/22, but the confidence in every rally truly stirred excitement among Vietnamese volleyball fans.
A set victory by Vietnam’s women’s volleyball team over Poland at the World Championship is genuinely a remarkable milestone. Photo: HT
The fourth set was the biggest highlight. The determination of Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt’s team was clearly displayed on the court. Each match, even each set in this major tournament, is an opportunity to prove oneself. We may lose, but no point is wasted. When the main attacker Trần Thị Thanh Thúy could not leverage her height against Poland’s blockers over 2 meters tall, and outside hitter Bích Tuyền was also absent, the remaining team members still managed to play explosively. It’s no surprise that the courage of the Vietnamese girls caused moments of tactical confusion and chaotic substitutions on the Polish side.
That is truly what makes Vietnam’s women’s volleyball adventure at the World Championship exciting to watch. Or more precisely, we made a debut worthy of a team ranked 4th in Asia. Our girls played as if they had long been part of the World Championship, not as newcomers making their first appearance. In elite sports, resilience cannot come from luck, and Vietnam’s women’s volleyball shows that their journey to reach new heights has only just begun. We have more potential than we imagined.
Therefore, although the single set win against Poland was a small success within an expected defeat, it represents a big step forward for volleyball and Vietnamese sports overall. In some ways, our athletes are becoming more confident competing at top global events, helping Vietnam achieve greater success in both individual and team sports.
We are no longer inexperienced; in fact, we have made very proactive preparations even for tournaments we are entering for the first time. This is a commendable achievement by those involved in sports after nearly three decades of strong international participation.
The question now is, with this mental strength, what should we do to elevate our level further?
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