SINGAPORE (30 July 2026) – Born in Brazil and shaped by football journeys across Japan and Denmark, Nguyễn Xuân Son has gained more than success in Vietnam. He has found a place to call home.
The 29-year-old forward dreams of competing on football’s biggest stage, the FIFA World Cup, but knows that journey begins with helping Vietnam remain the dominant force in the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026.
On his international debut in 2024 for Vietnam, Xuân Son made an immediate impact, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals and earning the Most Valuable Player award as the Golden Star Warriors claimed a third ASEAN crown.
It was, however, a bittersweet campaign as a serious leg fracture suffered during the second leg of the final against Thailand cut short his celebrations and forced him to confront the biggest challenge of his career.
“That period was very difficult. When I broke my leg, I thought my career had stopped,” recalled Xuân Son.
“There were many different feelings. At that tournament, I became a champion, the top scorer and the Most Valuable Player. Now it is different. It is a new year and the team is also different. I just want to give my best for the team, and I think all the players feel the same. We are fighting for this trophy for the Vietnamese people. The people want this trophy very much.”
Following 10 months of recuperation from fractures to his right tibia and fibula, and with the backing of his family, club Nam Định FC and the Vietnamese Football Federation, Xuân Son bounced back strongly in the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ last December.
He finished as the joint top-scorer with seven goals and guided Nam Định into the semi-finals, marking a remarkable return from one of football’s most challenging injuries.
“I only thought about returning to football and playing again. I feel very blessed. People also supported me a lot. That is very important after suffering an injury like breaking your leg,” he said.
“I think the love of the people was the most important thing during that period. When you feel that love, it gives you the strength to push through all the exercises you need to complete.”
His determination also stems from the single-minded pursuit of his football dreams from a young age. Growing up in the small town of Pirapemas, he left home at 14 for Salvador to join a youth academy.
After several years playing in Brazil, he ventured overseas in 2018 and 2019, experiencing football in Japan and Denmark before arriving in Vietnam later that year.
It was a move that would transform his career. Xuân Son began his Vietnamese stint with a short spell with Nam Định before joining SHB Đà Nẵng FC and Bình Định FC where he was the league’s leading scorer in 2023. He rejoined Nam Định soon after, guiding the team to the domestic league title and finishing as top scorer again in the 2023/24 season.
In September 2024, after five years of residency, he was granted Vietnamese citizenship and adopted the name Nguyễn Xuân Son, retaining a connection to his Brazilian identity through his original name, Rafaelson.
“Honestly, experiencing another culture has been very good for me,” said Xuân Son. “When I came to Vietnam, I tried to understand the culture, and adapt to the country and to Vietnamese football. I have grown to love Vietnam and my family also love it.
“My two children were born in Vietnam and this country is very special to me. I want to stay here for the rest of my life. It is amazing to have the love of the people.”
His impact on the Vietnam national team has been recognised with his appointment as one of the vice-captains for the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026, an honour he embraces proudly as the Golden Star Warriors prepare to face Group A leaders, Singapore in Hanoi on Friday.
“It motivates me to give my best and to show the other players and the coaching staff what I can do,” said Xuân Son, who was among the goalscorers in Vietnam’s opening 7-0 victory over Timor-Leste last weekend.
“When you have a responsibility like this, you need to give more. I think the pressure is good because, when you have pressure, you can give more to the coach, during training sessions and in games. We are ready to play and ready to win because we have quality players. We will give 100 per cent to become champions again. That is the challenge.”
Ultimately, Xuân Son’s greatest ambition outside of retaining the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ title is to help Vietnam reach the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
“My dream is to go to the World Cup. I think about it many times because, if I can do that for this country, it would be one of the most special moments in Vietnamese football.
“It is also a dream for my family. I am working hard, and I hope we can go to the World Cup in the future because that would be very special for everyone and for every player,” he said.
For the latest news and updates from the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026, visit https://aseanutdfc.com/ and follow @aseanutdfc on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
