Brazilian midfielder looking forward to receiving Vietnamese citizenship

Hendrio, who trained at Barcelona's La Masia youth academy, arrived in Vietnam in late 2020 and signed with Binh Dinh FC in January 2021. He quickly became one of the league's top attacking players. In January 2023, he moved to Nam Dinh FC, where he played 63 matches, scoring 19 goals and providing 21 assists, helping the club win the V. League title.

Hanoi FC had expressed interest in Hendrio when he was about to leave Binh Dinh, but their efforts were unsuccessful. However, when Nam Dinh decided not to retain him after the 2024-2025 season, the capital club immediately reached out. Hendrio signed a contract with Hanoi FC until the end of the 2027-2028 season, marking the club's first major signing this summer.

Hendrio during a training session of Hanoi FC. Photo by Hanoi FC

To be eligible for naturalization, Hendrio must meet the requirement of five years of continuous residence in Vietnam, which was fulfilled by December 2025. This is also the timeline set by FIFA for foreign-born players to be eligible to represent their second country, similar to the case of Brazilian-born striker Nguyen Xuan Son.

"I know this is not an easy task. Everyone has been helping me," Hendrio said before a training session on July 10. "I'm eager to receive Vietnamese citizenship as soon as possible."

Hendrio's Vietnamese has improved steadily, and he is now able to communicate well.

"I took Vietnamese lessons and interact with local people, so my Vietnamese is getting better every day. I think my Vietnamese is better now than when I was at Nam Dinh," he said, adding that he also speaks Portuguese and English. As a result, he has become an involuntary translator for his Hanoi FC teammate, Daniel Passira, who only speaks Portuguese.

Ahead of the 2025-2026 V-League season, the 31-year-old midfielder cut his vacation short to prepare for training, alongside fitness coach Bruno Inarra, to get ready for the new season.

Hendrio (R) and Vietnam national center-back Do Duy Manh during a training session of Hanoi FC. Photo by Hanoi FC

The 2025-2026 V-League will introduce a new rule to increase the foreign player limit from three to four per team. The league is still deciding whether to allow all four foreign players on the field at once or use three on the field with one on the bench.

Hendrio views this change as a positive step for increasing competition but stresses the importance of mutual agreement among teams.

"Domestic players will need to work harder to earn their spots, but we must ensure the tournament remains balanced," he said. "Some teams have the financial resources, but others don't. We need to find common ground to ensure the V. League remains stable and develops."