Strikers Nguyễn Xuân Son (left) and Nguyễn Văn Toàn have been called up for the upcoming 2024 ASEAN Cup. — Photo courtesy of Nam Định Club

HÀ NỘI — Coach Kim Sang-sik has called up three additional players from V.League 1’s Nam Định Club for the upcoming 2024 ASEAN Cup, including naturalised striker Nguyễn Xuân Son.

Son (Rafaelson Bezerra Fernandes) was born in Brazil in 1997 and received Vietnamese citizenship in September. He is the first naturalised player to be selected for the national team since 2009, following in the footsteps of Phan Văn Santos, Huỳnh Kesley Alves, Đinh Hoàng Max and Đinh Hoàng La.

With five seasons in V.League 1 under his belt, playing for Nam Định, Đà Nẵng and Bình Định, Son has proven to be a valuable addition. Excluding the 2021 season, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he has scored 75 goals in 100 matches across V.League 1, the National Cup and the National Super Cup.

At 27, Son holds the record for the most goals in a single V.League 1 season, netting 31 goals in 2023-2024, surpassing the previous record of 25 set by Lê Huỳnh Đức in 1996. Despite suffering an injury this season, he has still managed to score seven goals in six matches, tying with Nguyễn Tiến Linh of Bình Dương and Leonardo Artur of Hà Nội Police as the top scorers.

Coach Kim expressed optimism about Son's contribution, believing he will enhance the team's attacking options. He is confident in Son's integration, noting that the striker has lived in Việt Nam for five years and has experience in the national league. Son also has time to acclimate to the team before officially playing after December 20, in accordance with FIFA regulations regarding residence time for naturalised players.

The ASEAN Football Federation also confirmed that Son is eligible for the ASEAN Cup 2024. However, he will miss the first three matches, against Laos on December 9, Indonesia on December 15, and the Philippines on December 18, returning for the final match against Myanmar on December 21.

In addition to Son, experienced striker Nguyễn Văn Toàn has also been included in the squad. He is one of four players called up this season who also participated in the 2016 ASEAN Cup, alongside goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm, defender Vũ Văn Thanh and Bùi Tiến Dũng.

The third player from Nam Định is Nguyễn Văn Vĩ, a left-back born in 1998. Vĩ has recently impressed with his speed and ability to create breakthroughs, helping Nam Định secure crucial victories this season.

Originally from Bắc Ninh Province, Vĩ trained at the Hà Nội Youth Training Centre and played professionally for Hà Tĩnh and Hà Nội FC before joining Nam Định in 2023. He was previously called up to the national team under coach Park Hang-seo, making his debut for Việt Nam in a 2-0 victory over Afghanistan in June 2022.

On December 6, Coach Kim will reduce the squad from 33 to 26 players for the ASEAN tournament, before traveling to Laos to prepare for the opening match. VNS