Determining the official debut time of Hendrio for the Vietnam national team

Hendrio is set to acquire citizenship in October and will be called up to the Vietnam national team shortly.

According to the latest information, Hendrio's naturalization process is progressing smoothly. It is expected that this October, the Brazil-born midfielder will officially obtain Vietnamese citizenship and compete in the V-League under his new name, Đỗ Hoàng Hên. This is great news for Hanoi FC and the Vietnam national team.

Previously, Hanoi FC registered Hendrio as a naturalized player from the start of the season and awaited the completion of the Brazilian midfielder's citizenship procedures. Since each player can only be registered under one status throughout the season, Hendrio has been unable to participate in matches during this period.

It is anticipated that Hendrio will officially make his debut for Hanoi FC on October 18 in the match against Ninh Binh Club as part of Round 7 of the 2025/2026 V-League. Prior to this, Hendrio nearly missed a whole year of professional play in official matches. The last time the Brazilian midfielder played was in the match between his former club Thep Xanh Nam Dinh and Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the AFC Champions League Round of 16, held in February 2025.

Although he may debut for Hanoi FC in October, Hendrio cannot join the Vietnam national team immediately. The Brazilian midfielder began playing in Vietnam for Binh Dinh Club in early December 2019, meaning he must wait until December 2025 to meet the five-year residency and work requirement in Vietnam.

Therefore, Hendrio can only debut for the Vietnam national team, if called up, after meeting the requirements in March 2026. This is also when Xuan Son is expected to return to the national team, having officially resumed playing on the evening of October 11. The former striking duo of Nam Dinh Club, Xuan Son and Hendrio, could reunite in the Vietnam national team jersey.

It is expected that in March 2026, several players proposed for naturalization by coach Kim Sang Sik and the VFF, such as Rimario, Janclesio, Geovane, and Gustavo Santos, will also meet the criteria. If realized, the Vietnam national team will have a truly formidable squad to face Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.