A turning point in Xuan Son's life.

Hearing the song "Xuan Son" (Red Spring) makes you feel spring has arrived.

"This is my first spring as a Vietnamese citizen. Therefore, everything is very special and lovely," Nguyen Xuan Son shared with Thanh Nien newspaper in the days leading up to Tet 2025, surrounded by vibrant flower arrangements prepared by his wife, Marcele Seippel, and holding a banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cake) given to him by the Nam Dinh FC fan club. It was a heartfelt Tet gift from the Vietnamese people, along with a short but loving message: "Nam Dinh fans miss Xuan Son very much and are always looking forward to your return."

Xuan Son, a naturalized player, made a very impressive debut for the Vietnamese national team.

Perhaps it was the genuine affection for this new land, which just five years ago was still unfamiliar, that spurred the young Rafaelson to decide to bet his future here. At the end of 2019, when Vietnamese football was euphoric with the SEA Games 30 gold medal and a series of achievements under coach Park Hang-seo, Rafaelson arrived in Vietnam, choosing Nam Dinh FC for a trial. Compared to other well-known and experienced foreign players lining up to sign contracts with V-League teams at the time, the 23-year-old Rafaelson didn't have much to say, apart from his brief training at Vitoria FC (Brazil), before a three-year adventure in Japan and Denmark (playing a mere 24 matches). He lacked experience and fame, so his only hope was to play for Nam Dinh FC, which was then struggling to avoid relegation and lacked the funds to buy top-tier foreign players.

However, Xuan Son's strength also lies in his determination to rebuild his career in a league where most foreign players don't stay with each team for more than two seasons. In his first three seasons with Nam Dinh, Da Nang , and Binh Dinh, Xuan Son didn't score more than 6 goals per season. Nevertheless, he still left an impression with his aggressive playing style and his dedication and perseverance to his career.

Xuan Son only needed one season to win the affection of the "poor" Nam Dinh team with his sincere smile and tireless runs, carrying the inexperienced team to safety in the final round. For Xuan Son personally, the difficult journey in the V-League forged his love for Vietnam. Through each season, faced with the decision to stay in Vietnam or seek opportunities in new lands with higher salaries, such as Thailand or Malaysia, he followed his heart. Xuan Son's efforts were rewarded with a breakout 2023 season with Binh Dinh FC, scoring 16 goals. By mid-2023, Xuan Son returned to Nam Dinh, both himself and the team transformed. Xuan Son had become a true "killer," welcomed with open arms by many clubs. Nam Dinh FC was no longer a "poor but academically gifted" team, but had the resources to offer Xuan Son a better salary and a higher quality team. That "reunion" yielded sweet and satisfying results, with Nam Dinh winning the V-League 2023-2024 championship, Xuan Son becoming the top scorer with 31 goals, and a Vietnamese citizen with "brown skin and black eyes" contributing to the national team's victory at the AFF Cup 2024.

I LOVE VIETNAM WITH ALL MY HEART

Unlike many foreign players who struggle to adapt to the climate, food , football culture, and life in Vietnam, Xuan Son embraced everything naturally. He loved Vietnam from the very beginning, and that love grew stronger over time. This player always felt the love and affection of the people and the country for him.

Xuan Son's happy family

And once you're in love, adapting becomes simple. Even the way Xuan Son transformed from a "Westerner" into a "Vietnamese" can hardly be called adaptation. Xuan Son didn't try to change; instead, he embraced the new country and its culture with all his heart. Everyone in the Nam Dinh team knows that Xuan Son had been diligently learning Vietnamese, humming the Vietnamese national anthem long before he obtained citizenship. He loved the fried banana fritters at the intersection of Bac Ninh and Nguyen Du streets (Nam Dinh) so much that the image of the Brazilian-born striker taking his wife to buy a whole bag of them to eat gradually became familiar to the locals.

"I love Vietnam, I love everything here. Vietnam is my second home," Xuan Son affirmed. But even without those words, perhaps just looking at Xuan Son's boundless energy and selfless spirit at the 2024 AFF Cup or in the V-League, everyone can sense how much he loves the red flag with a yellow star. He doesn't have Vietnamese blood flowing in his veins, but Xuan Son will always be a proud and honorable Vietnamese! (to be continued)

Xuan Son is still recovering from an injury sustained in the second leg of the 2024 AFF Cup final against Thailand. He is currently in phase 2 of his recovery. During this phase, Xuan Son is focusing on rehabilitation exercises, including mobility support exercises, physical training, and monitoring bone healing. This is when the 28-year-old striker will begin gentle exercises to strengthen his injured leg and maintain overall fitness. Phase 2 will last 4 weeks. After that, he will proceed to phases 3 and 4 of his recovery, totaling 4 months. It is expected that by September, Xuan Son will be able to move normally and return to the pitch.

The striker, born in 1997, missed two matches for the Vietnamese national team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, against Laos (March 25) and Malaysia (June 10). Xuan Son may return on October 9, when Vietnam hosts Nepal in the third match at home.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/buoc-ngoat-cuoc-doi-cua-xuan-son-185250221224827032.htm