The Road to the World Cup and the Issue of Player Naturalization

11/10/2025 06:55:00 soccer

Back in March, Japan became the first non-host nation to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup. On this journey, they defeated Indonesia—nicknamed "Holland 2.0"—with an aggregate score of 10-0 over two matches.

1.Japan secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a squad almost entirely free of naturalized players, thanks to the J-League’s youth training system and a long-term football philosophy. Instead of flashy spending on superstars, they focused on developing infrastructure, school sports, and professional leagues. The Japanese success comes from team unity, outstanding individual skills, and a well-planned strategy by the Japan Football Association (JFA). Japan has participated in eight consecutive World Cups and is expected to continue influencing world football. Their clear lesson: naturalization is only a short-term solution; long-term success depends on a strong internal foundation.

Conversely, many Asian teams have abused naturalization and suffered greatly. China has invested over 25 billion euros in football since 2015, including transfer fees, salaries, and infrastructure. They naturalized more than 10 Brazilian players such as Elkeson, Alan, and Fernando, but their "World Cup 2050 champion" project became a laughingstock. The team failed to pass the fourth round of the 2022 and 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to poor cultural integration and a weak domestic training system. The UAE also spent billions naturalizing Brazilian players like Fabio Lima and Caio Canedo, with clubs paying millions in salaries over five years. However, when these players became eligible, most were over 30 and prone to decline. As a result, the UAE was eliminated in the round of 16 at the 2023 Asian Cup and still hasn’t advanced past World Cup qualifiers due to an uneven squad and lack of motivation.

Japan was the first national team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, despite having a squad almost entirely without naturalized players.

Malaysia represents a painful lesson in illegal naturalization, currently facing severe FIFA sanctions and domestic public pressure. Overusing naturalization caused local players to be sidelined, weakened youth development, and caused Malaysian football to lose its identity. These failures show that naturalization cannot replace a long-term development strategy.

2.Vietnamese football has adopted a more cautious approach to naturalization. After many years of consideration, Vietnam finally has its first naturalized player competing for the national team in an official tournament. Players such as Đặng Văn Lâm, Nguyễn Xuân Sơn, and Cao Quang Vinh all comply with FIFA regulations (having lived in Vietnam for at least five years or having Vietnamese roots). They have helped strengthen the team in the AFF Cup and World Cup qualifiers. However, most naturalized players are nearing or past 30 years old, posing injury risks and not providing a long-term solution.

It is no coincidence that recently many Vietnamese teams, from men’s to women’s and from senior to youth levels, have trained in Japan. The reality is Vietnam needs to learn from Japan by investing heavily in the V-League and football academies such as HAGL and PVF. Naturalization should only be an additional "seasoning," not the core. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) must develop a long-term plan to nurture local talent and avoid repeating the mistakes of China or Malaysia. A well-organized youth training system combined with a professional league will produce a new generation capable of taking Vietnam far on the international stage.

Japan demonstrates that the path to the World Cup is not through "buying" naturalized players but by building a solid foundation of people, philosophy, and long-term investment. China, UAE, and Malaysia illustrate that if naturalization lacks transparency or is abused, it leads to failure and loss of dignity. Vietnam must balance legitimate naturalization with internal development, prioritizing youth training to build a sustainable national team. Only when benefits align with legitimacy can football become a source of national pride.

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