Thai fans: 'Unlike Vietnam, we should not naturalize players; we need to preserve our identity'

Vietnam's team victory not only holds professional significance but also sparks intense debates about naturalization issues within Southeast Asia.

Vietnam's 3-1 win over Malaysia at the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers at Thiên Trường Stadium not only secured the team full points but also ignited off-field discussions, particularly revolving around the topic of player naturalization.

The page Buriram Prankster recently drew attention by expressing a rather straightforward viewpoint: “The Thai national team only uses mixed-race players, not naturalizing players of 100% foreign origin like the Vietnamese team”.

In the recent match, the impact of the two Brazilian-origin players Hoàng Hên and Xuân Son was very evident. Xuân Son scored a double, while Hoàng Hên contributed an assist. Their presence is bringing a significant professional difference to the team.

However, the controversy does not stop at professional factors. Buriram Prankster believes: “Vietnam's national team is relying on the inspiration of two naturalized Brazilian-origin players, Hoàng Hên and Xuân Son. There are two opinions on this issue. Some fans think Vietnam having naturalized players is acceptable. The rest believe a national team should only include native or mixed-race players”.

This page also recalls a noteworthy detail: “Previously, Vietnamese fans criticized Indonesia for using mixed-race players, but now they are following the naturalization path. This contradicts their earlier stance”.

Under the comment section, Thai fans left many opposing opinions. One account expressed: “I support the Thai national team only using players whose parents or grandparents are Thai. That helps the team maintain its identity”.

Sharing the same view, another account wrote: “I think the Thai national team needs to preserve its identity. They should stick to the chosen path”.

On the opposite side, account Ton Thanaphong stated: “The world is flat now. Everywhere is homeland. As long as players wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to that nation. Look at how many people in the French team have French blood”.

Another opinion is quite open: “Xuân Son and Hoàng Hên were born in Brazil but their hearts are with Vietnam's team. Thai football respects opponents. They can do whatever, as long as it follows FIFA rules”.

After the recent match round, Vietnam's team rose to 99th place on the FIFA ranking, while Thailand still leads Southeast Asia with the 93rd world position. The gap is not large, but different approaches are creating opposing debates and promise to continue in the future.