Rafaelson successfully naturalized, eligible to play for the Vietnam national team

Nam Dinh Club announced that Rafaelson Fernandes became a Vietnamese citizen today (September 20). The Brazilian-born striker has a new name, Nguyen Xuan Son, and will play in the 2024-2025 V.League as a foreign-born Vietnamese player.

“I am very happy today. My dream of becoming a Vietnamese citizen has come true. I love this country and will do my best on the football field,” Nguyen Xuan Son shared.

Nguyen Xuan Son (Rafaelson) was born in 1997. He came to Vietnam in early 2020 and played for Nam Dinh, Da Nang, and Binh Dinh clubs before returning to Nam Dinh in 2023. In V.League 2023-2024, he set a record for the player who scored the most goals in a season with 31 goals.

After completing the naturalization procedure and becoming a Vietnamese citizen, Nguyen Xuan Son can wear the Vietnamese national team shirt. Coach Kim Sang-sik is ready to call up the Nam Dinh striker as soon as he is eligible.

The Korean coach assessed that the players he has in hand are of guaranteed quality, ready for the goal of achieving a high ranking at the AFF Cup 2024. Rafaelson is a very good choice, significantly strengthening the strength of the Vietnamese team.

Rafaelson also revealed that he had a private meeting with coach Kim Sang-sik but it was just a polite greeting, not discussing his future on the Vietnamese team: "I once had a conversation with coach Kim Sang-sik. That was when he came to watch a match in Nam Dinh.

We didn't talk much. Between the two of us, it was just a simple greeting. As for integrating into life in Vietnam, I found myself adapting quickly to the things around me. I love Vietnam, the people and the food. So does my family. Our life in Vietnam is going smoothly."