Coach Kim Sang Sik proposes naturalization of high-caliber overseas Vietnamese players

Goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang has been suggested for naturalization assistance based on proposals from the Vietnam Football Federation and Coach Kim Sang Sik.

Recently, Coach Kim Sang Sik and the Vietnam Football Federation have repeatedly proposed naturalizing quality foreign players in the V-League. These players have all met the requirement of five consecutive years of residence in Vietnam and are considered capable of contributing significantly to the Vietnam national team.

Following Brazilian-born players like Janclesio, Geovane Magno (Ninh Binh), Gustavo (Da Nang), and Hendrio (Hanoi), the Vietnam national team now aims to add another quality overseas Vietnamese player who currently does not hold Vietnamese citizenship. That player is Patrik Le Giang from Ho Chi Minh City Police Club.

Unlike the foreign players mentioned earlier, Patrik Le Giang is an overseas Vietnamese player with a Vietnamese father and a Slovak mother, holding a Slovak passport. Therefore, he is not required to fulfill the five-year residency condition in Vietnam. With the proposal from the Vietnam Football Federation and Coach Kim Sang Sik, Patrik Le Giang is expected to complete the procedures to obtain Vietnamese citizenship as soon as possible.

Patrik Le Giang entered Vietnam on January 25, 2023, and even played in the V-League before Filip Nguyen. However, while Filip Nguyen has already completed the naturalization process and played for the Vietnam national team since the 2023 Asian Cup finals, Patrik Le Giang has yet to acquire citizenship due to certain reasons.

Previously, Patrik Le Giang’s naturalization process faced some complications. This was mainly because, despite having a Vietnamese father and Slovak mother, he lacked some necessary documents required by law to apply for citizenship.

However, with the support proposed by the Vietnam Football Federation and Coach Kim Sang Sik, Patrik Le Giang is expected to receive assistance to finalize these procedures soon. If successful, the Vietnam national team will have three highly skilled overseas Vietnamese goalkeepers: Patrik Le Giang, Dang Van Lam, and Filip Nguyen.