I am Vietnamese
Hanoi, 5:30 am on March 15, 2026, when the city was still dim in a light mist and the streets were still not crowded, Do Hoang Hen woke up earlier than usual compared to Hanoi FC's training sessions. He chose a simple but polite, neat and meticulous outfit. Standing in front of the mirror, Hen's eyes lit up with indescribable joy. Occasionally, he would open a piece of paper on his hand and smile.
Hen strolled on the road under the apartment lobby. That road, Hen was still used to walking around many times. But this time, as Hen shared, was truly special. That day, Hen went to vote!
It's so happy to be Vietnamese," Hen said while showing off his voter card - a piece of paper that makes him proud. "This is like a dream come true. I want to repay the affection and protection that everyone has given me since coming to Vietnam.
At the polling station, like all Vietnamese people, Do Hoang Hen was fully exercised his rights and civic obligations, entrusting his trust when elected as a National Assembly Deputy of the 16th term and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
That was the 2nd time in just half a year, Hoang Hen felt the pride and honor in his blood, as a Vietnamese citizen. Going back in time on the morning of October 17, 2025, Hoang Hen and his girlfriend wore traditional ao dai to welcome a major turning point in life. Before the national flag, before the portrait of the great President Ho Chi Minh, Hoang Hen sang the Vietnamese national anthem fluently.
After more than 5 years, with a lot of feelings for the country, I have officially become a Vietnamese citizen. I love the people, yearn to contribute to football here. This is a moment that I will always remember," Hoang Hen expressed.
Vietnamese national team players
After the oath-taking ceremony, on election day, Hoang Hen also had another memorable milestone as a Vietnamese person. At the end of March 2026, he first played in the Vietnamese national team jersey. In the friendly match on March 26, he participated in the 3-0 victory over Bangladesh. Just a few days later, the striker born in 1994 continued to make his mark in the 3-1 victory of the Vietnamese team over Malaysia in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.
When Do Hoang Hen stepped onto the field in the Vietnamese national team jersey, many fans stood up and applauded as a welcome for this naturalized striker. This affection comes not only from professional factors but also from the process of him playing in the V.League, striving to learn Vietnamese and waiting 5 years to get citizenship.
Hoang Hen also admitted that feelings when wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey are difficult to fully express. After many years of living in Vietnam, understanding the enthusiasm of fans is one thing, but directly stepping onto the field in that atmosphere is a completely different experience.
I feel great. I have been here for 5 years and I know the enthusiasm of Vietnamese football fans. But experiencing in the national team jersey is really hard to describe in words. For me, it is a truly unforgettable experience," Hoang Hen expressed.
In fact, when he first set foot in Vietnam, Hoang Hen never thought about being attached for a long time or becoming a citizen of the S-shaped land. Initially, his goal was only to play for a professional team. However, after a season, the change took place naturally. He began to feel more clearly about the living environment, about how people receive and support him, thereby forming the intention to be attached for a long time.
Hoang Hen said that his feelings for Vietnam do not come from a specific moment, but are the result of a process of attachment. He gradually adapts to life, feels comfortable with the pace of life, culture and football environment. That is what makes him start to ask the question of whether he can wear the national team jersey or not?
Hen started learning Vietnamese. Not only stopping at basic communication, the 32-year-old striker maintained his studies regularly for a long time. He actively sought teachers, studying with his teacher 2-3 sessions a week, and at the same time taking advantage of the support from teammates to improve his Vietnamese language proficiency.
After 1 year in Vietnam, I feel that life here is very suitable for myself. People, food, and scenery are all wonderful. This is why I decided to learn more Vietnamese as well as want to live here longer.
I learned Vietnamese from a teacher in Hanoi. For more than 2 years, I studied with her regularly 3 sessions/week. When I was in the Nam Dinh team, whenever I didn't understand a word, I asked Hong Duy and Tuan Anh. Both of them understood English, so they helped me a lot while learning Vietnamese," Hen said.
Using Vietnamese helps Hoang Hen conveniently in daily life and understand more about the football environment here.He can communicate with teammates, grasp tactical requirements and integrate better with the collective.Up to now, this striker has been able to sing the Vietnamese national anthem and understand the meaning of some sentences in the song.
Besides language, life factors also play an important role in the process of adaptation.As a vegetarian, Hoang Hen does not encounter obstacles when living in Vietnam.He said that the Vietnamese culinary environment is very favorable when there are many choices suitable for his diet.
Affirm professional qualifications
If the integration journey creates a foundation, then professional ability is the factor that helps Hoang Hen have a position in the Vietnamese national team. Throughout his time playing in the V.League, he maintained a stable physical condition and rarely was absent due to injury. This persistence helped him maintain stable form through many seasons.
The end of 2025 is the period when Hoang Hen rarely plays because he is in the stage of waiting to complete the naturalization procedures. Immediately after reappearing, this striker quickly proved his value with a scoring efficiency of 6 goals and 3 assists for Hanoi club, contributing to helping the Capital team chase in the championship race.
Regaining form in a short time shows his ability to adapt to high intensity, and is also the basis for him to be given an opportunity by coach Kim Sang-sik in the national team. He also quickly integrated into the overall playing style of the whole team - which is a challenge for new players.
At the club level, Hoang Hen clearly defines his role in Hanoi FC's title competition goal. He believes that maintaining form at Hanoi FC is a key factor to continue to be given opportunities in the national team. Accordingly, Hoang Hen aims to contribute more professionally, from scoring ability to supporting teammates.
From the early days of being unfamiliar to being able to sing the Vietnamese national anthem and understand the meaning of each word, Hoang Hen has gone through a long journey through the process of adapting and feeling for this land. In the immediate future, at ASEAN Cup 2026 and further in the Asian Cup 2027 finals, Hoang Hen will have to affirm his value in the Vietnamese national team with clear professional contributions and stability in competition.
