Coach Kim Sang-sik happily praises striker Nguyễn Xuân Son at the ASEAN Cup 2024 on Saturday. — Photo nguoiduatin.vn

Football

PHÚ THỌ — Striker Nguyễn Xuân Son has made history in Vietnamese football by becoming the first naturalised player to score for the national team in an official tournament.

Việt Nam has previously called up several naturalised players, including Phan Văn Santos, Huỳnh Kesley Alves, Đinh Hoàng La and Đinh Hoàng Max, but none had the opportunity to play or score in major tournaments.

After being absent from the first three matches of the group stage of the ASEAN Cup 2024, Son officially took the field when the Vietnamese team faced Myanmar in the last group match on Saturday at Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ Province.

The Brazilian-born striker immediately proved his worth with a stellar performance, scoring two goals and providing two assists, contributing directly to four of the five goals scored by the Vietnamese team, securing Việt Nam's top position in Group B of the 2024 ASEAN Cup.

According to the statistics website Sofascore, Son received a perfect score of 10/10, a rare achievement in the history of Vietnamese football.

Son, the record-breaking player in V.League 1 who completed his naturalisation in September, was registered for the 2024 ASEAN Cup but became eligible to play only from the match against Myanmar onward. His presence is expected to provide the Vietnamese team with a genuine attacking threat, something they have lacked for many years. His agility, ability to create plays, and intelligent movement have brought a new energy to the squad.

After the match, coach Kim Sang-sik expressed his excitement, stating that this victory marks a turning point for Vietnamese football as it seeks to regain its stature following the Park Hang-seo era.

"This victory is the result of the entire team’s effort. Son had an outstanding performance in his debut match. He integrated quickly, was sharp, and displayed a high winning spirit. I believe Vietnamese football is back. We will prepare thoroughly for the semi-final and aim for the final," coach Kim said.

Kim also explained his decision to let Son play the full 90 minutes: "I want Son to acclimate to the pace of the tournament. He is very determined and eager to score for the fans. He has proven his abilities and deserves recognition."

Despite having a significant early advantage, coach Kim opted not to make many changes, maintaining the strongest lineup on the field. He noted: "After the second goal, the semi-final ticket was in our hands, but I want my players to continue maintaining the attacking tempo. This will help them coordinate better for the upcoming semi-final match."

Son’s brilliant debut has garnered widespread praise from experts and international media. According to Indonesia's Bola, Son’s presence will greatly enhance Việt Nam's strength, making the team "more dangerous than ever." Meanwhile, Sindo News described him as a player "thirsty to score goals," warning that he poses a significant threat to Indonesia.

Malaysia's One Football expressed support for Son's decision to become a naturalised player, calling it a wise and valuable choice. The publication also highlighted his impressive achievements in V.League 1 over the last two seasons, with a total of 47 goals - far exceeding those of naturalised Malaysian strikers like Paulo Josue and Guilherme de Paula.

According to the schedule, Việt Nam will face Singapore in the first leg of the semi-final at 8pm on December 26 at Jalan Besar Stadium. The second game will take place on December 29 at Việt Trì Stadium. Việt Nam's chances of advancing to the final look promising if they maintain their current form.

The Việt Nam Football Federation sold out of tickets for the second match of the AFF Cup 2024 semi-finals within just 15 minutes, showing the high demand. The game between Việt Nam and Singapore will take place at Việt Trì Stadium at 8am on Sunday, December 29 via the OneU app.

As previously reported, tickets for the semi-finals are priced at VNĐ300,000, VNĐ500,000 and VNĐ600,000. — VNS