Brian Jeffrey
The event saw participants from the Nam Dinh Department of Justice, Nam Dinh FC, and the family of Rafaelson, including his spouse.
After being granted citizenship, Rafaelson shared his feelings, stating, “My family resides in Vietnam; it has become my second home. I am thrilled to officially be a citizen of Vietnam.”
He extended his gratitude to General Secretary and President To Lam, key ministry leaders, Nam Dinh province, and Nam Dinh FC for helping him realize his dream. Rafaelson committed to upholding Vietnamese laws and contributing to the country’s football scene.
Rafaelson was born in Brazil in 1997 and kicked off his football career in Vietnam in 2020. During the 2023-2024 season, he played a pivotal role in leading Nam Dinh FC to victory in the V-League.
He garnered significant accolades at the V-League Awards 2023-2024, securing titles such as Best Player, Top Scorer (with 31 goals in 24 matches), and Best Goal. In the previous 2023 season, he was also a top scorer, netting 16 goals while playing for Binh Dinh FC.
Having satisfied all the necessary criteria, Rafaelson was aided by Nam Dinh FC to complete his citizenship application before the start of the 2024-2025 season.
On September 20, he officially received his Vietnamese citizenship decision, signed by General Secretary and President To Lam, and adopted the name Nguyen Xuan Son.
