With Patrik Le Giang, Khoa Ngo, and Geovane officially becoming Vietnamese citizens, the national teams at all levels will be significantly strengthened to conquer new heights on the continental stage.
On May 13th, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice held a ceremony to present the President's decision granting Vietnamese citizenship to two overseas Vietnamese players, Ngo Dang Khoa (Australia) and Patrik Le Giang (Slovakia). The two players, who are members of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Football Club, received their training in developed football nations and are prominent figures in domestic competitions (V-League, National Cup) this season.
"Spider-Man," born in 1992, has a Vietnamese father and a Slovakian mother. He came through a Slovakian youth academy and played professionally for 11 years there. Before returning to Vietnam to play in 2023, Patrik played for Bohemians 1905, a long-standing team in the Czech Republic's V-League. In the V-League, Le Giang quickly became a key player for Ho Chi Minh City FC (now Ho Chi Minh City Police FC), contributing to the team's successful relegation avoidance for three consecutive seasons. With a height of 1.88m, sharp reflexes, command of the penalty area, and excellent ball-handling skills, Patrik is considered to meet all the criteria in terms of expertise, form, and long-term potential to contribute to Vietnamese football.
Goalkeeper Patrik was previously included by coach Kim Sang-sik in the preliminary list of the Vietnamese national team preparing for the FIFA Days in March 2026. However, due to the failure to switch federations in time, he was unable to play against Malaysia in the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup.
Le Giang Patrik (second from the right) and Khoa Ngo receive their Vietnamese citizenship certificates at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice. (Photo: DINH VIEN)
Meanwhile, Khoa Ngo has Vietnamese parents but was born in Australia and is a product of the Perth Glory youth academy. Having played professional football in Australia for four years, Khoa Ngo made history as the first player of Vietnamese origin to score in the Australian National League.
In early 2026, the midfielder, born in 2006, joined the Ho Chi Minh City Police FC on loan and quickly secured a place in the team's starting lineup. Despite being only 1.65m tall, Khoa Ngo possesses good individual technique and speed, making him a highly effective winger capable of independent play. He has scored 4 goals for Ho Chi Minh City Police FC in 10 domestic matches this season.
At 19 years old, this talented player may struggle to compete for a spot on the national team, but he certainly meets the standards to contribute to Vietnam's youth teams participating in international competitions in the future.
Geovane Magno, now known as Nguyen Tai Loc, has also recently become a Vietnamese citizen. Born in 1994, standing at 1.88 meters tall, the Brazilian-born striker has played for several V-League clubs and is considered to be of a skill level comparable to Nguyen Xuan Son and Do Hoang Hen – two naturalized Brazilian players who have recently represented the Vietnamese national team.
Tài Lộc is skilled at using his individual technique to handle the ball in tight spaces, possesses keen passing skills, has diverse finishing abilities, and can play a versatile role in the attacking line. Officially becoming a Vietnamese citizen at the end of April 2026, Tài Lộc will open a new phase in his playing career and could transform the Vietnamese national team into a high-quality attacking force in Southeast Asia with this trio of "Brazilian-born" players.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/tuyen-viet-nam-co-them-nhan-su-gioi-196260513215729101.htm
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