Foreign players help Vietnam team transform in 2026

The optimal version of the Vietnamese team will appear in 2026, when striker Xuan Son returns, and a series of overseas Vietnamese and foreign players such as Hendrio, Janclesio, Kevin Pham Ba, Adou Minh... have citizenship.

AFTER DARKNESS IS DAWN

After winning the AFF Cup 2024, the Vietnamese team is entering a transition period. The golden generation (with the main players born from 1995 - 1997) is gradually retreating to make way for the younger generation.

2003 - 2005 is gradually progressing to the Vietnam national team. At the same time, thanks to the unfettered mindset, a series of quality overseas Vietnamese and naturalized players began to appear regularly, helping Vietnamese football have a new look.

Xuan Son’s brilliant performance at the AFF Cup with 7 goals showed how foreign blood can elevate the Vietnamese team. Although the key to success for each football team still lies in internal strength such as the quality of domestic tournaments, youth training... It is impossible to succeed with only borrowed resources from outside, as the failures of Singapore and Philippines football are proof.

However, in a place where achievements on the field play an important role in shaping the development mindset and football inspiration like Vietnam, there still needs to be a harmonious combination between domestic players and overseas Vietnamese or naturalized foreign players. Therefore, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) affirms that it will not turn its back on the naturalization policy, only different from Malaysia or Indonesia in that the use of players with foreign blood will be carried out selectively, with reasonable dosage and clear strategy.

Hendrio (right) is a promising naturalized face for the Vietnamese team.

PHOTO: HANOI CLUB

After the initial success of Xuan Son, there will be more naturalized foreign players under consideration by coach Kim Sang-sik. The most obvious case is Hendrio, a Brazilian player currently playing for Hanoi FC. Hendrio's class has been demonstrated after 5 years playing in Vietnam, with 29 goals and 31 assists. His peak was the 2023-2024 season when he contributed to 25 goals, helping Nam Dinh FC win the V-League. Hanoi FC has completed the naturalization procedure for him. Although the time has not been set, the capital's representative hopes that this August the 31-year-old midfielder will soon become a Vietnamese citizen.

According to FIFA rules, Hendrio can play for the Vietnamese national team after obtaining citizenship and accumulating 5 years of continuous playing and living here. This means that by December 2025 or early 2026, the Brazilian midfielder will be eligible to join the national team. With the return of Xuan Son expected in early 2026, the Vietnamese national team can reunite Hendrio - Xuan Son, taking advantage of the strength of the duo who once dominated the V-League in the hope of turning the tables in the rematch against Malaysia (taking place in March 2026) in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

OPPORTUNITY FOR Kevin Pham Ba, Adou Minh in Vietnam team

Besides foreign players who have accumulated enough 5 years like Hendrio, Janclesio, overseas Vietnamese players like Adou Minh and Kevin Pham Ba have submitted their papers to wait for naturalization procedures. Adou Minh was born in 1997, has a Vietnamese mother and a French father. Meanwhile, Kevin Pham Ba has a Vietnamese grandfather and a mixed-race mother. Both players used to play for professional and semi-professional French teams before returning to Vietnam to play last season.

Adou Minh impressed at Ha Tinh FC with 22 appearances, and a place in the V-League's best squad last season. The 28-year-old central defender has strength, a fighting style, and good analytical and situational judgment. This season, he plays for Hanoi Police FC (CAHN). If he can compete for a position at CAHN FC and soon become a Vietnamese citizen, he will likely be given the opportunity to try his hand at the national team, because coach Kim Sang-sik always wants to refresh the squad with promising players.

Similarly, Kevin Pham Ba has repeatedly expressed his desire to play for the Vietnamese national team. The Nam Dinh defender scored 2 goals in 10 matches in the second phase of last season and is likely to start this season, as he is a defender with speed, technique and stable ability to climb the sidelines. He is waiting for support to become a Vietnamese citizen. Although he is 31 years old and plays in a physically demanding position like full-back, with his desire to contribute, he can be given at least one opportunity to focus.

In addition, potential young overseas Vietnamese such as Tran Thanh Trung, Le Viktor (who already has Vietnamese citizenship) or Lee Williams, Damian Vu Thanh An (in waiting status) will help the Vietnamese team find solutions for both the present and the future.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngoai-binh-giup-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-lot-xac-vao-nam-2026-185250815221951929.htm