Nguyễn Xuân Son has become a nightmare for Thailand’s national team at the 2024 AFF Cup, scoring two crucial goals in the first leg of the final at Việt Trì. His contributions helped Vietnam secure a remarkable 2-1 victory over their archrivals. This achievement not only elevated Vietnam’s standing in Southeast Asian football but also drew significant attention from Thai media to the potential naturalized players of “The Golden Star Warriors.”
Thai media lists potential naturalized players for the Vietnamese national team (Photo: Chefpungbal).
In-Depth Analysis by Thai Media on Vietnam’s Naturalized Players
Chefpungbal, a prominent Thai newspaper, has published a list of nine potential naturalized players who could join the Vietnamese national team in the near future. These are notable players competing in both international and domestic leagues.
Promising Defenders
The list includes Kenneth Schmidt (Freiburg, 22), Kyle Colonna (Hanoi FC, 25), Jason Quang Vinh Pendant (CAHN Club, 27), and Tyler James Thai Crawford (Vancouver FC, 20). Among them, Jason Quang Vinh Pendant, a French-born defender, is nearing completion of his naturalization process and is expected to soon join the national team.
Notable Midfielders and Strikers
In midfield, Hendrio Araujo Da Silva (Nam Dinh, 30) and Pierre Lamothe (Hanoi FC, 27) stand out. Up front, Geovane Magno (Hong Linh Ha Tinh, 30), Geoffray Durbant (Fujairah, 32), and Kaelin Nguyễn (Wellington Olympic, 21) all possess top-tier skills and experience.
Notably, Hendrio and Geovane Magno, both Brazilian-born, are close to meeting the eligibility criteria for naturalization, similar to Nguyễn Xuân Son’s case. The other players have mixed Vietnamese heritage, much like the goalkeepers Đặng Văn Lâm and Nguyễn Filip.
Jason Quang Vinh Pendant is expected to soon join the Vietnamese national team (Photo: Hanoi Police Department).
Lessons from Indonesia and Malaysia
In Southeast Asia, naturalizing foreign-born players has become a common practice to strengthen national teams. Indonesia, with its influx of Dutch-origin players, has achieved notable success and even caught the eye of the World Cup.
However, Tran Anh Tu, Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), emphasized that naturalization must be carefully considered. He stated, “Vietnam’s national team remains open to naturalized players, but youth development should always come first. We should learn from Indonesia’s lessons, where excessive naturalization led to negative consequences.”
The 2024 AFF Cup clearly illustrates this point, as Indonesia faced difficulties in assembling key players due to club reluctance. This reinforces the idea that while leveraging naturalized talent is important, Vietnam must continue investing heavily in youth development to build a solid foundation for the future.
Conclusion
Thailand’s media spotlight on Vietnam’s naturalized team lineup reflects the country’s rapid football development. To maintain its position and advance further on the international stage, Vietnam needs to find a balance between utilizing naturalized players and developing local talent. Stay tuned for more progress from the Vietnamese national team in the coming time!
Source: dantri.com.vn
