Vietnam naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son faces abuse on Facebook and Instagram from Thai fans

Vietnam secured their third ASEAN Cup title on Sunday night in a dramatic final, defeating Thailand 3-2 in the second leg to achieve a 5-3 aggregate victory.

On Monday afternoon, Son’s personal Facebook page was bombarded with thousands of comments in Thai, many using derogatory language and images to insult him, according to Znews.

Many of the abuse mocked his status as a naturalized player, referring to him as "Brazilnam." Others celebrated the serious injury he suffered during the second leg of the final. Angry reactions from Thai users also appeared on his profile picture.

The online attacks persisted on Son's Instagram, where he also faced hundreds of hostile comments from Indonesian fans, despite not playing in Vietnam’s match against Indonesia, prompting him to restrict comments on his profile.

The online abuse escalated after a comment Son made under a video of Thai midfielder Supachok Sarachat went viral. On the ASEAN Football Federation’s Facebook page, Son reacted to a photo of Supachok being consoled by his girlfriend after the match, leaving a brief comment: "Idiot," accompanied by emojis.

Vietnam naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son. Photo courtesy of Son's Facebook

Son, whose Brazilian name is Rafaelson Fernandes, received Vietnamese citizenship in September. He became the first naturalized player without Vietnamese ancestry to be called up to the national team since 2009.

He played a crucial role in Vietnam’s journey to the 2024 ASEAN Cup title, scoring seven goals in just four matches and providing two assists. As Vietnam became champions, he was also named MVP and top scorer of the tournament.

Son broke his right leg during the second leg of the final against Thailand while attempting a cross into the penalty area. He underwent a successful surgery on Monday and was reported to be in a stable condition and able to move with crutches on Tuesday morning.