The national women's football team is currently the highest-ranked team in Southeast Asia.
According to VietnamPlus, the women’s national football team recently rose two spots in the FIFA Women’s World Ranking, which makes them the 32nd best among 155 national teams. The improvement is the result of the team earning six rating points since the last time their ranking was assessed.
These rating points were determined on a match-by-match basis, using five key criteria put out by FIFA: actual match results; goal differential and goals scored; home versus away pitch; the importance of the match (matches in tournaments and leagues will receive more points than friendly matches); and the difference in team strength.
Thailand, despite qualifying for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015 and 2019, is currently ranked 38th. Recently, Vietnam's women football team defeated Thailand to snag their sixth gold medal at the SEA Games.
Australia currently tops the Asia-Pacific region, followed by Japan, North Korea, China, South Korea and Vietnam. Japan defeated the US National Women Team in a penalty shootout in 2011 and became the first team in Asia to win a World Cup championship in both men's and women's categories.
Vietnam's national female football team is preparing for the third round of the AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament to fight for a slot in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. They will compete against North Korea, Myanmar and South Korea from February 3 to February 9.
[Photo via The Thao 24/7]
