V-League player unexpectedly called up to Malaysia national team to face Vietnam

Endrick Dos Santos of CA TP.HCM Club has just been summoned to the Malaysia national team preparing to meet Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying round.

Midfielder Endrick Dos Santos, currently playing for CA TP.HCM Club, is one of the 28 players recently called up by the Malaysia national team to prepare for the match against the Vietnam national team in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup. The inclusion of a player currently active in V-League has drawn attention, as he is one of three players outside Malaysia named in the list.

Endrick Dos Santos came to Vietnam to play in 2024 and quickly made an impact. This season, he has made 8 appearances for CA TP.HCM Club, scoring 1 goal. In the most recent match, the Malaysian midfielder played the full 78 minutes, helping the home team at Thống Nhất Stadium secure a 1-0 victory over PVF CAND.

The match between the Vietnam national team and the Malaysia national team will take place at 19:00 on March 31 at Thiên Trường Stadium. Although it is merely procedural since Vietnam has already secured a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup finals, the encounter still receives significant attention from Southeast Asian fans.

Notably, the Malaysia national team recently received a penalty from AFC for using naturalized players improperly in the first two matches. However, the call-up list still includes many foreign-origin players, such as Dion Cools, Ryan Lambert, Nooa Laine, Ezequiel Aguero, and Endrick Dos Santos. This shows the team still aims to combine the experience of foreign players and domestic forces to prepare for upcoming matches.

Besides Endrick, the Malaysia national team list also includes many familiar faces in Southeast Asian football, who have participated in SEA Games and AFF Cup, such as Luqman Hakim, Syahmi Safari, Safawi Rashid, and Faisal Halim. This combination aims to create a balanced squad between experience and youth.

According to the plan, the Malaysia national team will assemble from March 23, then train in Bangkok from March 24-27 before moving to Vietnam on March 28 to complete final preparations. Endrick Dos Santos is expected to be a crucial component in coach Peter Cklamovski's lineup when facing the Vietnam national team.