Nguyễn Xuân Son’s appearance at the AFF Cup 2024 made a significant difference for the Vietnamese national team. The forward scored 7 goals and helped his team win the championship after two victories over Thailand.
Nirut Surasiang believes that naturalized players like Spring Son only bring short-term success, not long-term development to the sport (Photo: Khobsanam).
However, ex-Talented Thai player Nirut Surasiang has spoken out against the naturalization policy, with the inclusion of players like Spring Son.
Nirut Surasiang shared with Khobsanam: “The playing style of the Brazilian naturalized player in the Vietnamese national team is strength-oriented. I think young Thai players are wary of Nguyễn Xuân Son and do not want the Football Association of Thailand to naturalize such players.
I want the Football Association of Thailand to develop young players, whether they are 100% Thai or have mixed heritage. We don’t need naturalized players on the national team.
I believe naturalization is ineffective. It’s just an attempt to find shortcuts, but there are no shortcuts in football. Developing football requires a systematic approach and takes time. Players like Spring Son can create short-term success but do not offer long-term benefits.”
Spring Son made a difference for the Vietnamese national team at the AFF Cup 2024 (Photo: Minh Quan).
In his career, Nirut Surasiang played nearly 10 years in Vietnam (2004-2012) for clubs including Binh Dinh, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, and Navibank Saigon.
Even, Nirut Surasiang naturalized as a Vietnamese citizen under the name Đoàn Văn Nirut to avoid being registered as a foreigner. The 45-year-old former player also had 62 caps for the Thai national team and scored 5 goals.
After retiring in 2015, Nirut Surasiang joined coaching careers at lower-tier Thai clubs like Kanchanaburi City and Lopburi City. Additionally, he briefly served as an assistant coach for the Thai national team from 2023-2024.
