French-Vietnamese defender obtains Vietnamese citizenship

Cong An Ha Noi FC (CAHN) confirmed on Wednesday that the 28-year-old defender is now eligible to play for the Vietnam national team.

He has adopted a new name, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, with "Cao" being his Vietnamese mother’s surname, and "Pendant" his French father's surname.

"Supporting Quang Vinh in obtaining Vietnamese nationality early so he can contribute to the national team has been the club’s plan since recruiting him," the club’s statement read. "After a long process of coordination with relevant parties, Quang Vinh has officially received Vietnamese citizenship today. He is eager to contribute to the national team as soon as possible and play a role in the country's sporting success."

Defender Cao Pendant Quang Vinh in a game with Cong An Hanoi FC in Hang Day Stadium, Hanoi, for the 2024-2025 V. League season. Photo by VnExpress/Hieu Luong

Quang Vinh joined CAHN in August 2024 and has started in 15 out of 16 matches in the V-League this season, having only been substituted three times. The 1.77-meter-tall defender primarily plays as a left center-back or left-back, similar to his club teammate Doan Van Hau.

If called up to the Vietnam national team, he could play in the position currently occupied by defenders Bui Tien Dung or Nguyen Van Vi.

Quang Vinh was born on Feb. 9, 1997, in the town of Sarcelles, in the northern metropolitan area of Paris, France. He developed through the ranks at Sochaux, making 69 appearances in Ligue 2 for the club between 2016 and 2020. He then moved to the U.S. and played three MLS seasons for the New York Red Bulls before returning to Ligue 2 with Quevilly-Rouen. Ligue 2 is the second-tier French league, where midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai once played 12 matches for Pau FC in the 2022-2023 season.

For this month’s national team training camp, coach Kim Sang-sik did not call up Quang Vinh, as he had not yet acquired Vietnamese citizenship. However, now that he is a Vietnamese citizen, there remains a possibility that the defender could be added to the squad if needed.

The national team beat Cambodia 2-1 in a friendly on Wednesday. They will face Laos in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers next Tuesday.

The Vietnam national team has previously included several mixed-heritage players with a Vietnamese parent, such as midfielder Mac Hong Quan and goalkeepers Dang Van Lam and Nguyen Filip. However, no players born and raised abroad were called up for this training camp.

Naturalized Brazilian-born striker Nguyen Xuan Son is also absent due to an injury sustained in the second leg of the ASEAN Cup final in January.

Besides Quang Vinh, the V-League features several other mixed-heritage players, including center-back Legey Adou Minh, midfielder Viktor Le (Ha Tinh FC), center-back Kyle Colonna (Hanoi FC), and goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang (HCMC FC). Viktor Le has been called up to Vietnam’s U22 team to prepare for an upcoming friendly tournament in China.