AFC unexpectedly honors Vietnam's top central defender

Right before the 2026 Women's Asian Cup finals, the AFC took a remarkable step by highlighting a central defender from Vietnam’s women's team as a standout figure expected to leave a mark in the continent’s premier tournament.

On its official website, the AFC gave special praise to Chương Thị Kiều, describing her as “a key figure in the rise of Vietnamese women's football,” who has played a vital role in the advancement not only of the national team but also of the entire women's football landscape in the country. This is considered a rare honor for a Southeast Asian central defender ahead of the Asian Cup.

According to the AFC, the most iconic moment in Chương Thị Kiều’s career came at the 2022 Women's Asian Cup, when the defender born in 1995 scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over Chinese Taipei. That goal not only secured the win but also helped the Vietnam women's team qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup,

Beyond the national team level, Chương Thị Kiều continued to make a strong impression on the continental stage while playing for Ho Chi Minh City Club. In the 2024/25 AFC Women’s Champions League, she scored against Abu Dhabi Country Club, helping her team reach the semifinals in their debut appearance in the tournament.

Other defenders cited by the AFC include Jang Sel-gi (South Korea), Azusa Iwashimizu and Saki Kumagai (Japan), Steph Catley, Ellie Carpenter, Clare Polkinghorne (Australia), Wu Haiyan and Wen Lirong (China), Ashalata Devi (India), and Duangnapa Sritala (Thailand).

Notably, the AFC’s recognition came amid a challenging period in Chương Thị Kiều’s career. In September 2022, Vietnam’s top female central defender had to undergo surgery on both knees simultaneously, suffering severe injuries including a torn posterior cruciate ligament in her left knee, anterior cruciate ligament rupture, and a torn root of the lateral meniscus in her right knee.

As she has not fully recovered, Chương Thị Kiều was unable to play in all three group matches of the 2025/26 AFC Women’s Champions League for Ho Chi Minh City Club. At the national team level, Coach Mai Đức Chung was also forced to exclude her from the squad for the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand.