Vietnam National Team Faces Chelsea Star in Asian Tournament

The Vietnam women's team is set to compete against attacking star Maika Hamano, who belongs to Chelsea and is currently playing for Tottenham, in the group phase of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup.

The Vietnam women's team is about to take on a major challenge at the group stage of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup when they meet Japan on March 10th at . Notably, coach Mai Đức Chung's squad will likely face Maika Hamano – an attacking star currently on loan to Tottenham from Chelsea.

Hamano, 21 years old, is ranked by ESPN among the top 10 players to watch in the tournament. She is officially a Chelsea player but currently competes for Tottenham in the Women’s Super League. This season, the young forward has scored 1 goal in 4 appearances for Tottenham and continues to show remarkable growth at the elite level of football.

ESPN's assessment: "With abundant speed and technique, Hamano offers the Japanese women's team a completely unique weapon, something they likely have not had since Mana Iwabuchi, the best player of the 2018 Women's Asian Cup and a member of the 2011 Women's World Cup winning squad, retired". This explosive ability and unpredictability make her a direct threat to any defense.

In the previous Asian Cup, Hamano had not yet debuted for the national team at only 17 years old. ESPN emphasized: "At the last Women's Asian Cup, Hamano had not yet made her first appearance for Japan’s national team. In fact, she was only 17. Over the following four years, she has participated in the Women's World Cup, been part of Chelsea’s undefeated treble-winning domestic season, was honored as AFC International Women's Player of the Year, and then moved on loan to Tottenham, another club in the Women’s Super League".

To date, Hamano has played 26 matches and scored 6 goals for the Japan national team. She won the AFC Young Female Player of the Year award in 2022 and shined at the U20 Women's World Cup that same year. ESPN also regards her as a “trump card” for coach Nils Nielsen in this tournament.

The 2026 Women's Asian Cup also serves as the qualifier for the 2027 Women's World Cup, with 12 teams divided into 4 groups. Facing a Japanese team featuring top stars, especially Maika Hamano, the Vietnam women's team will surely need thorough preparation if they aim to create surprises in this challenging group.