The Vietnamese women's volleyball team welcomes substitute star Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, ready for the important tournament.

The Vietnamese volleyball champions officially welcome Cuban attacking star Lianet Garcia. She has arrived in Vietnam and is expected to compete with VTV Binh Dien Long An in the Hoa Lu Binh Dien Cup in the coming days.

This 1.88m tall hitter is expected to play as the main attacker for VTV Binh Dien Long An in Phase 1 of the 2026 National Volleyball Championship, replacing Tran Thi Thanh Thuy while "4T" is tied up with a contract to play for Gunma Green Wings Club in Japan's National Championship.

Lianet García Anglada, born in 2004, stands at 1.88m tall, with an attack jump reach of 3.20m and a block jump reach of 3.05m (according to Volleybox data). The 21-year-old hitter is highly regarded for her powerful attacking ability and future development potential. She is currently a member of the Cuban national team and has participated with the team in major international tournaments such as the World Championship and the NORCECA Pan American Cup.

At the club level, Lianet García's playing journey is quite diverse despite her young age. Before venturing abroad, she developed within Cuba's domestic volleyball environment. Subsequently, this attacker began her overseas career by joining Jiangxi Club (China). Shortly after, García continued to test herself in the European volleyball scene by moving to play for Merinos in Turkey.

Notably, in 2025, Lianet García had a stint playing in Vietnam when she was recruited by Club VTV Binh Dien Long An to strengthen the team for the Hung Vuong Cup 2025. Although it was only a short-term contract, the appearance of the Cuban attacker left many impressions on fans and team members. Not only did she demonstrate good professional ability on the court, García also quickly integrated with the team thanks to her open and friendly personality.

Moving into the 2026 season, VTV Binh Dien Long An continues to aim for major goals with the status of the reigning national champion. Immediately, the team will participate in the Hoa Lu Binh Dien Cup as an important warm-up before entering Phase 1 of the National Volleyball Championship held in Dong Anh (Hanoi).

To prepare for the continental-level tournament, the coaching staff of VTV Binh Dien Long An registered a list of 11 athletes for the qualifying round, including familiar faces such as setters Kim Thoa and Tran Nguyen Qui Uyen, attackers Nguyen Lan Vy and Nguyen Thi Huong Ngo, the duo of opposite hitters Nguyen Thi Tra My, Dang Thi Kim Thanh along with Pham Cao Tram Anh; middle blockers Trinh Huynh Bao Ngoc, Le Nhu Anh and Lu Thi Phuong. While Vo Thi Thao Nguyen takes on the libero role. Currently, the entire team is undergoing a training camp in Hanoi to finalize preparations before entering the important tournaments of the season.

Although the time spent together was not very long, Lianet García still holds much affection for the VTV Binh Dien Long An team. When recalling her playing time in Vietnam, the Cuban attacker once shared that it was not merely a sports season but also a period filled with memories of friendship and bonding. She was particularly impressed by the playing style of captain Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and said she always felt like she was at home while living with her teammates in Vietnam.

According to García, she learned many things during that time, from training methods, competition to the spirit of unity among team members. The mutual care and support within the team left her with deep impressions of Vietnamese volleyball.

In early 2025, while participating with the Cuban national team in the Women's Volleyball World Championship, Lianet García also had the opportunity to reunite with Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Vo Thi Kim Thoa wearing the Vietnamese national team colors. That reunion moment was later shared on her personal page with an emotional status: "I miss you guys."

The beautiful memories from her previous playing stint in Vietnam are considered an important source of spiritual motivation for the young Cuban attacker to continue pursuing new challenges in her career. If there is an opportunity to reunite with VTV Binh Dien Long An in the future, it will certainly be an eagerly awaited next chapter for both García and Vietnamese volleyball fans.