OFFICIAL: Vietnam national team captain retires

Vietnam futsal team captain Pham Duc Hoa has officially declared his retirement at 35 years old.

Recently, on his personal Facebook page, veteran Pham Duc Hoa announced his retirement at the age of 35.

The original Thai Binh native (now Hung Yen) posted a video capturing all the highlights of his playing career futsal along with a brief status message: "Hello everyone. 2025 is about to end. 2026 is about to begin. Thank you for everything throughout my years as an athlete. Finally, see you all again."

Pham Duc Hoa has been a prominent figure in Vietnamese futsal for over a decade. After switching from 11-a-side football to futsal in 2012, he quickly proved his ability and became a key pillar of Thai Son Nam club.

Thanks to Duc Hoa’s consistent contributions, the team dominated the national futsal championship from 2016 to 2021, and continued their success with titles in 2023, 2024, and 2025. On the continental stage, he helped Thai Son Nam achieve one runner-up and three third-place finishes at the AFC Futsal Club Championship, including a crucial goal in the 2018 semifinal.

At the national team level, Pham Duc Hoa was a vital player in the 2016 and 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cups, where Vietnam reached the round of 16 both times. Notably, his goal against Russia in the 2021 World Cup became one of the most memorable moments of his career.

These achievements earned Duc Hoa numerous prestigious individual awards such as MVP of the national futsal league in 2017 and 2023, the Vietnamese Futsal Silver Ball in 2017, and Bronze Balls in 2018 and 2019. His latest peak was winning the Golden Ball for Vietnamese futsal in 2023, recognizing his top status in the domestic futsal scene.

In 2023, after Tran Van Vu ended his playing career, the leadership of the Vietnam futsal team and Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City club was passed to Duc Hoa, who had previously served as vice-captain.

At 35, Pham Duc Hoa’s decision to retire closes a long, dedicated, and impactful chapter in Vietnamese futsal. Starting as a late switch player, he rose to become a symbol of professionalism, resilience, and leadership both at club and national levels.