NAM ĐỊNH — Striker Nguyễn Xuân Son (Rafaelson Fernandes) of V.League 1’s Nam Định Club has been granted Vietnamese citizenship by the Department of Justice of Nam Định Province.

"My whole family lives in Việt Nam. For me, this is my second home. I am truly happy to become a Vietnamese citizen. I promise to strictly adhere to Vietnamese law and do my best to contribute to Vietnamese football," Son said after officially receiving the decision on Tuesday.

Accompanying Son to the Department of Justice was his wife, who is also Brazilian. "She enjoys Vietnamese food just like I do and can cook many Vietnamese dishes," Son shared.

Born in 1997 in Brazil, Son arrived in Việt Nam and first played for Nam Định in 2020. Initially, he struggled to adapt to the Vietnamese climate. After spells in Đà Nẵng and Bình Định, the naturalised player returned to Nam Định, where he played a key role in helping the team win the V.League 1 championship.

After meeting all the requirements, Son received support from Nam Định Club to complete the citizenship process before the 2024/2025 season. He is expected to don the Vietnamese national team jersey as soon as possible. VNS