Hai Yen and the Final Puzzle: What is Vietnam Women's National Team Building Before the Asian Games?

The training pitch in Suzhou, China, on the morning of September 3. Pham Hai Yen stepped onto the field with a reserved expression, but her eyes never left the ball in front of her. For her, this was not just another routine training session. These were the final days of a long journey — and she knew it better than anyone. "This could be my last Asian Games," Hai Yen said, her voice low but loud enough to silence the entire press room. That statement was not a retirement announcement, but a reminder: what she and her teammates do in the next three weeks will define how a generation is remembered. The first training session in Suzhou was split into two parts: light work in the morning for recovery after travel, and 90 minutes of tactical work in the afternoon. According to the coaching staff, this 90-minute session focused on perfecting match plans against potential opponents. This was not a routine fitness run. This was a session working with video footage, with data, with specific scenarios studied in advance. Based on my experience following numerous national team training camps, I noticed that the way Vietnam Women's National Team coaching staff built this friendly match schedule shows very deliberate thinking. On September 5, they will face Jiangsu FC — a top Chinese women's club. On September 9, they will face the Chinese national team. Then the squad moves to Japan to face Chinese Taipei, Japan, and Thailand in matches from September 14 to 21. This is a carefully calculated difficulty curve. Starting with a club team — where you can test your lineup without too much pressure — then upgrading to a top Asian national team like China, then facing Japan on their home turf. Each step is designed to push the team to a new level while allowing the coaching staff to observe how each player reacts to different types of pressure. The opponent selection was not random. The coaching staff carefully researched and selected suitable opponents. The presence of China and Japan in the schedule suggests Vietnam is preparing for encounters with technical, fast-transition playing styles — characteristic of East Asian teams. Meanwhile, the Thailand match in the final stretch is almost certainly preparation for a potential Southeast Asian rival in the Asian Games group stage. "We want to build mental strength," a coaching staff member shared. This statement is not just about fitness. It is about creating an environment where players must constantly face challenges, where they must find their own way through the most difficult moments on the pitch. Hai Yen, at 32, understands these challenges better than anyone. She is no longer the young player who can run endlessly. But she has something no young player has: a deep understanding of her own body, of when to push and when to conserve. "The crack is not on the X-ray, it is in how we listen to our bodies," I once wrote in an analysis two years ago. For Hai Yen, listening to her body is no longer a choice — it is a survival condition. She has been through enough seasons, enough injuries, enough times questioning whether she could continue. What caught my attention in the first training session was how Hai Yen interacted with her younger teammates. Not loud instructions, but nods, pats on the shoulder, small gestures full of meaning. She is doing something no statistic can measure: passing on confidence. Responsibility does not need a stadium, it only needs someone who maintains discipline every morning. Hai Yen has maintained that discipline for 15 years. And now, as she enters the final training days before what could be her final Asian Games, she is not just preparing herself — she is preparing an entire next generation. There is a detail many might overlook. The team's choice of Suzhou as training base was not random. This city has similar climate and time zone to Japan — where the Asian Games will be held. This is a small logistical advantage that could make a big difference when entering the official tournament. Looking at the schedule, I realize something: Vietnam Women's National Team is preparing not for one tournament, but for multiple scenarios. They will face China — a team that could appear in the group stage. They will face Japan — a team that could appear in the knockout stage. They will face Thailand — a team that could appear in the regional final or knockout rounds. This is how a smart team prepares: not for one scenario, but for all possible scenarios. And this is also how a team builds confidence — not through easy wins against weak opponents, but by facing real challenges and learning to overcome them. A player who does not break a leg can still be breaking from the inside. This statement of mine has never been truer in this context. The Asian Games is not just a physical tournament — it is a mental one. The team that maintains composure in the most difficult moments will have the greatest advantage. Hai Yen has been through enough major tournaments to understand this. She knows that the first matches are often the most difficult — when the body has not fully adapted, when the mind is not ready for pressure. And she also knows that the only way through this phase is thorough preparation in advance. Spectators see the goal. I see three months later of that knee. In women's football, where resources are not as abundant as men's football, managing the fitness of key players is a matter of survival. And Hai Yen, with 15 years of international experience, understands the limits of her body better than anyone. The afternoon training session ended at 5:30 PM. The players left the pitch tired but satisfied. Hai Yen was the last to leave, after having private conversations with each young forward on the team. No one heard the content of those conversations, but the nods from the young players said a lot. Vietnam Women's National Team is entering the decisive phase of their preparation. With a carefully calculated friendly schedule, with a leader at the end of her career but still full of desire, and with a coaching staff with clear tactical thinking — everything is being put in its right place. The remaining question is whether all this preparation will be enough to make a difference at the Asian Games. And the bigger question: after Hai Yen, who will lead the next generation? The answers will gradually unfold over the next three weeks. But one thing is certain: what Vietnam Women's National Team builds in these days in Suzhou will be the foundation for an entire upcoming generation.