In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 28 November 1991
- Birthplace
- Trà Vinh, Vietnam
- Country
- Vietnam
- Nationality
- Vietnamese
- Known for
- Captaining Vietnam at its first Women’s World Cup and becoming the national team’s record goalscorer
- Playing position
- Forward
- National role
- Captain and record goalscorer
- Global milestone
- 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
- European club
- Länk Vilaverdense, Portugal
Why this life matters
Như joined sustained domestic success, regional leadership and a pioneering professional move to Portugal in the defining career of Vietnamese women’s football.
Timeline
Key moments
Born in Trà Vinh
Born on 28 November in the Mekong Delta.
Began her senior international career
Entered a national-team career that would span multiple Southeast Asian titles.
Won a first Golden Ball
Received Vietnam’s top women’s football award.
Moved to Portugal
Joined Länk Vilaverdense as the first Vietnamese woman to play professionally in Europe.
Captained a World Cup debut
Led Vietnam at its first FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Returned after two seasons abroad
Completed a pioneering two-year spell in Portuguese football.
Goals, titles and national leadership
Huỳnh Như developed at Ho Chi Minh City Women’s Football Club and became a prolific forward for both club and country. Her finishing, movement and durability helped Vietnam win repeated regional honours.
Five Vietnamese Golden Balls recognised her sustained impact. FIFA identified her as the national team’s record goalscorer, while her captaincy made her the public standard-bearer for a generation that pushed women’s football into wider national view.
Portugal and the first World Cup
In 2022, Như joined Länk Vilaverdense in Portugal, becoming the first Vietnamese female player at a professional European club. The two-season move tested her in a new league and made a global pathway visible to younger players.
She then captained Vietnam at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the country’s first appearance at the tournament. Vietnam did not advance from a difficult group, but qualification itself changed the horizon of the women’s national programme.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Huỳnh Như
- Who is Huỳnh Như?
- Huỳnh Như is a vietnam women’s national team forward and captain. Như joined sustained domestic success, regional leadership and a pioneering professional move to Portugal in the defining career of Vietnamese women’s football.
- What is Huỳnh Như best known for?
- Huỳnh Như is best known for captaining Vietnam at its first Women’s World Cup and becoming the national team’s record goalscorer.
- When and where was Huỳnh Như born?
- Huỳnh Như was born on 28 November 1991 in Trà Vinh, Vietnam.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 8 September 2026.
