How will naturalization for 'Westerners' over 30 years old help the Vietnamese team?

If they become Vietnamese citizens, and are all over 30 years old, how can Geovane, Janclesio and Gustavo contribute to the Vietnamese team?

Janclesio is 32 years old this year, not young anymore, but not too old to contribute to the Vietnam team - Photo: NGOC LE

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently sent a proposal to the Ministry of Justice , based on information from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the head coach of the Vietnam national team - Mr. Kim Sang Sik, requesting support for naturalization for 3 Brazilian players.

These three names are Gustavo Sant'Ana Santos, Geovane Magno and Jean Almeida Santos (Janclesio). All three have lived in Vietnam for 5 years, affirming their professional level through many professional clubs.

Question about age

The biggest problem for these three players is that they are all over 30 years old. Gustavo was born in 1995 (30 years old), Geovane was born in 1994 (now 31 years old), and Janclesio was born in 1993 (32 years old). If we count Hendrio da Silva (born in 1994), who is being naturalized by Hanoi FC, then this player is also 31 years old.

They are not old, but they are not young either. All three are on the line between the peak and the decline of their careers. How stable their performance can be maintained... are big questions.

The contribution prospects of these foreign players cannot be compared to that of Nguyen Xuan Son, who is only 28 years old this year. Therefore, if the Vietnamese team passes the second qualifying round of the 2030 World Cup and reaches the third qualifying round, these foreign players will all be 35 or 36 years old.

But why do VFF and coach Kim still want the Vietnamese team to have the services of these players?

Coach Kim's desire to have a stronger team is legitimate - Photo: NGOC LE

"Western" getting old is still suitable

Firstly, the demand for upgrading the national team and the competitive trend in Southeast Asia make it impossible for football managers to stay out of the game. By proposing naturalization for 3 foreign players, VFF has become much more open after many years of saying no to naturalizing players.

Unlike Thailand and Indonesia, Vietnam does not have a rich source of Vietnamese players abroad. High-class Vietnamese players are prioritizing competing in strong national teams. As for overseas Vietnamese who choose to return to the country, their skills are not better than local players. Therefore, naturalizing foreign players in the V-League on a limited basis is the right path for Vietnamese football.

Second, the path of development from youth training cannot meet the urgent requirements of the times.

VFF and Mr. Kim are still right to maintain the selection of the best personnel for the national teams through national professional tournaments, "seeding" some promising U23 players into the national team to build the next generation.

But this is still a long-term path, and it is not possible to quickly create a team that is competitive enough in the regional arena in the near future. The 0-4 defeat to Malaysia is making the ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup out of reach for the Vietnamese team.

However, if naturalized this year, Gustavo, Geovane and Janclesio can play in the return match against Malaysia in March 2026. They can play with Xuan Son and his teammates in the crucial match, changing the game, deciding the chance to win a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup Finals.

Vietnam's attack will be stronger if it has Geovane Magno and Hendrio da Silva - Photo: NBFC

Long-term benefits

In the short term, the naturalization of foreign players will certainly benefit the Vietnamese national team. Gustavo and Janclesio will play as central defenders, while Geovane and Hendrio will play as attacking midfielders and strikers. These are all vertical positions that the national team is both lacking and weak in.

Gustavo, Geovane and Janclesio are not the best foreign players in the V-League. But they have been in Vietnam long enough to become potential and suitable factors for the national team. With these naturalized players, the Vietnamese team has the hope of maintaining its competitiveness in regional and continental tournaments in the next 2-3 years.

In the long term, the naturalization of foreign players will bring more benefits to the clubs. That is because when teams have an additional domestic player slot, the competition in the V-League and the First Division will increase. Domestic players can look at that as a basis to make more efforts.

Naturalization but not massively, combining youth training and developing domestic tournaments is the right way to create a strong team for Vietnamese football.

NGOC LE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhap-tich-cho-tay-ngoai-30-tuoi-giup-ich-gi-cho-tuyen-viet-nam-20251001085414853.htm