VFF speaks out as Brazilian midfielder successfully naturalizes as Vietnamese citizen

VFF representatives hope Hendrio will soon make meaningful contributions to the Vietnam national team.

The ceremony to grant Vietnamese citizenship to the Brazil-born midfielder Đỗ Hoàng Hên (the Vietnamese name of Hendrio Araujo Da Silva) was held at the Hanoi Department of Justice on the morning of October 17.

Attending the ceremony were representatives from the Administrative Justice Department – Ministry of Justice; Hanoi Department of Justice; Vietnam Sports Administration; Vietnam Football Federation; Hanoi Football Club; player Đỗ Hoàng Hên and his relatives… Wearing traditional Vietnamese áo dài, Đỗ Hoàng Hên joined officials in the flag salute and singing the national anthem before officially receiving the Vietnamese citizenship certificate.

At the ceremony, Mr. Nguyễn Minh Châu – Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Football Federation congratulated Hendrio, now officially Đỗ Hoàng Hên, on becoming a Vietnamese citizen.

“We are delighted to welcome a new member into the Vietnamese football family. Congratulations to Đỗ Hoàng Hên on his new life and mindset in Vietnam, embraced by the love of the Vietnamese people. We hope he will continue to demonstrate professionalism, dedication, and soon make practical contributions to Vietnamese football both at the club and national team levels,” said Mr. Nguyễn Minh Châu – Deputy General Secretary of VFF.

Đỗ Hoàng Hên is regarded as one of the best foreign players in the V-League in recent years, known for his technical skills, modern thinking, and high creativity. According to plans, Đỗ Hoàng Hên will make his debut when Hanoi hosts Ninh Bình in the 7th round of the 2025/26 V.League on October 18. This is expected to be a special debut for the player who just became a “Vietnamese” wearing the capital club’s jersey.

Additionally, the Vietnam Football Federation will soon submit the necessary documents and handle procedures for Hendrio to FIFA to request permission for Đỗ Hoàng Hên to play for the Vietnam national team. Therefore, Hendrio will likely debut for the national team as early as March 2026 if called up by coach Kim Sang Sik. He will officially become eligible to represent Vietnam only from January 2026.