Lunar New Year 2026 has special meaning for midfielder Do Hoang Hen. This is the 6th year he has celebrated the New Year in the S-shaped country, but it is the first time as a Vietnamese citizen after naturalizing at the end of 2025.
This milestone marks a long journey of living, working and attached to the country that he considers his second homeland.
Looking back at 2025, Hoang Hen believes that it is an important year in his life: "The past year was really beautiful for me, especially when I received Vietnamese citizenship. It was a wonderful day that I will never forget".
The Brazilian-born midfielder said that Tet always brings a feeling of closeness from the early days he set foot in Vietnam.
Tet has been meaningful to me for many years. The first time I came here, I liked the atmosphere of everyone preparing for the new year. This year, Tet is even more special as I am a Vietnamese citizen," he said.
Hoang Hen's Tet plan is quite simple. He plans to spend a day in Quang Ninh to visit his old comrade Duong Thanh Hao's family, then return to Hanoi to rest with friends and his Vietnamese teacher.
My girlfriend is not very good at cooking Vietnamese food, so I will buy things or go to friends' houses," Hoang Hen shared.
In a duplex apartment he is renting in Hanoi, Hoang Hen sets aside a small corner to preserve memories of more than half a decade of living and working in Vietnam.
On the wall, he hangs the word "Phuc" as a New Year's wish. For him, traditional Tet is associated with banh chung, peach blossoms and the image of calligraphers writing letters.
I know banh chung is a traditional dish during Tet. I am vegetarian, so I will choose banh chung without filling or bean filling. This year, I will go to the market or supermarket to buy banh chung. I want to prepare some things myself to feel Tet more clearly," the striker born in 1994 said.
Previously, Hoang Hen had experienced the flower market atmosphere and home decoration during his years living in Vietnam. When he was playing in Quy Nhon city (old), this player went to the flower market to buy trees to decorate. When moving to Nam Dinh, he also bought a peach tree because he believed it would bring good luck. For Hoang Hen, preparing, cleaning the house, buying flowers, and buying cakes and fruits helps to feel more clearly the atmosphere of traditional Tet.
Comparing the New Year in Brazil and Tet in Vietnam, Hoang Hen said: "In Brazil, the New Year is usually a time for parties, gatherings of friends and fireworks. In Vietnam, the New Year is when family gathers together. This feeling is like Christmas in the countryside.
Stepping into 2026, Hoang Hen also sets specific goals for himself. He hopes to have the opportunity to wear the Vietnamese national team jersey in the near future.
In the new year, I want to play for the Vietnamese national team. That is an important goal that I really want to achieve. I also hope to win titles with Hanoi Club. Becoming a Vietnamese citizen opens a new chapter in my career and life.
Binh Ngo Tet 2026 with Hoang Hen brings a familiar feeling but has many new meanings. After many years of living in Vietnam, he welcomes the New Year as a citizen of the S-shaped country.
Chung cakes, peach branches, and the words "Phuc" hanging in the apartment are signs of a new spring, and also milestones for Hoang Hen's journey of integration and long-term attachment to football and life in Vietnam.
