Vietnam naturalized striker Xuan Son surprises wife with $20,000 car

Nguyen Xuan Son gifts his wife Marcele Seippel a new car on March 22, 2025. Photo by Facebook/Rafaelson Fernandes

"What a wonderful day, not for me, but for my wonderful wife. Thank you for everything, thank you for always being by my side," Son wrote in a heartfelt message dedicated to Seippel on social media on Saturday.

The romantic gesture comes two months after Son was awarded a VND1 billion car for his exceptional performance at the 2024 ASEAN Cup, where Vietnam clinched the title.

Son and Seippel's love story began in Brazil, where they started dating as teenagers. The couple married shortly after Seippel began university, and she made the difficult decision to pause her studies to support her husband's football career abroad, accompanying him through stints in Japan, Denmark and Vietnam. They have been living in Vietnam since 2020 and are now raising two sons together.

At the 2024 ASEAN Cup, Son could only join the national from the final match of the group stage but made an immediate impact. He scored seven goals in four matches, playing a crucial role in Vietnam's journey to the title. Unfortunately, he suffered a fractured leg in the second leg of the final against Thailand on Jan. 5 and had to undergo surgery upon returning home.

After more than two months post-surgery, Son is recovering well. The 27-year-old is able to walk on his own without crutches or handrails, and doctors believe he could return to training in the next five to six months, if recovery continues on schedule.

Throughout his injury and recovery, Seippel has remained by his side, offering constant support and care.