Asian media honors a Vietnam national team player ahead of the 2026 Asian Cup

ESPN named Bích Thùy as the standout player to watch on the Vietnam women's team at the 2026 Asian Cup finals.

Before the start of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup finals begins, ESPN released a list of the top 10 players to watch. Among them, Vietnam has one representative mentioned, midfielder Nguyễn Thị Bích Thùy.

Regarding the 2025 Vietnamese Golden Ball winner, ESPN offered high praise: "Standing at just 1.53 meters tall, Bích Thùy's style focuses more on efficiency rather than agility, with her ability to easily bypass opponents and smartly find gaps in the final third before delivering decisive passes or impressive long-range shots.

Originally playing as a winger, Thùy is now used flexibly by coach Mai Đức Chung as a number 10 or in an attacking midfield role.

Bích Thùy acts as the playmaker, serving as the creative anchor when Vietnam needs to disrupt the opponent’s midfield without relying heavily on the forwards’ off-the-ball runs or speed," ESPN commented.

The outlet also noted that the 2026 Asian Cup finals will be a good opportunity for the Vietnam women's team to regain confidence after their loss in the SEA Games 33 final:

"Despite having many ambitions, 2025 was a disappointing year for Vietnam, finishing third in the ASEAN Women's Football Championship and earning silver at the Southeast Asian Games. However, Bích Thùy and her team didn't have to wait long in 2026 for a chance to make amends."

Besides Bích Thùy, the other nine outstanding players named by ESPN include: Choe Il-Son (North Korea), Mary Fowler (Australia), Olivia McDaniel (Philippines), Casey Phair (South Korea), Ritu Porna Chakma (Bangladesh), Wang Shang (China), Sangita Basfore (India), Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva (Uzbekistan), and Maika Hamano (Japan).