BREAKING: Brazilian midfielder officially acquires Vietnamese citizenship

Hendrio has officially become a Vietnamese citizen and will play using the new name Đỗ Hoàng Hên.

According to the latest updates, midfielder Hendrio officially obtained Vietnamese nationality today, October 16. After a long wait, Hendrio can now participate as a naturalized player under the new name Đỗ Hoàng Hên.

Previously, Hendrio was registered by Hanoi FC to play in the 2025/2026 V-League season as a naturalized player. However, since he could not complete the procedures early, he had to sit out the first six rounds. Each player can only be registered under one status per season.

Therefore, Hanoi FC patiently waited for Hendrio to officially receive Vietnamese citizenship before allowing him to play. It is hoped that in the 7th round, when Hanoi faces the strong Ninh Binh team, Hendrio will make his long-awaited debut for the capital club.

Additionally, the Vietnam Football Federation will soon submit the necessary documents and handle procedures for Hendrio to FIFA, seeking approval for his federation transfer to the national team. Consequently, Hendrio is expected to debut for Vietnam’s national team, possibly as early as March 2026 if called up by coach Kim Sang Sik.

Although Hendrio may debut for Hanoi FC in October, he cannot immediately join the Vietnam national team. The Brazilian midfielder started playing in Vietnam for Bình Định FC in early December 2019, meaning he will only meet the 5-year residency requirement by December 2025.

Thus, at the earliest in March 2026, once eligible, Hendrio can debut for Vietnam if selected. This coincides with the expected return of Xuân Son to the national team, who recently resumed playing on October 11. The former deadly partnership of Nam Định FC, Xuân Son and Hendrio, could reunite in the Vietnam national squad.