Goal to defend the championship
On September 11, Nam Dinh Green Steel Club held a launch ceremony for the new 2024-2025 season.
Previously, in the 2023-2024 season, the team from Thanh Nam was invested in thoroughly, had a squad of quality players and played explosively to win the V.League championship after 39 years of waiting, and won the National Super Cup for the first time.
Entering the 2024-2025 season, Nam Dinh FC continues to receive investment from Xuan Thien Group. Not only retaining key players such as Rafaelson, Hendrio, Van Toan, Tuan Anh, Nguyen Manh... the team also added a series of quality new players such as Caio Cesar, Joseph Mpande, Walber Mota, Lucas Silva, Van Trung and Quang Thinh.
Coach Vu Hong Viet said: "Nam Dinh Blue Steel never rests on its laurels. The team has already started preparing for the 2024-2025 season. The team's goal is to defend the two trophies it has won, while also conquering the National Cup.
Another goal is to go far in the AFC Champions League Two arena, where Nam Dinh is the only representative of Vietnam participating."
Rafaelson is about to become a naturalized citizen.
Ahead of the 2024-2025 season, striker Rafaelson has completed his application for Vietnamese citizenship. The Nam Dinh Provincial People's Committee has requested the Ministry of Justice to inspect, review and carry out the next procedures to promptly resolve Rafaelson Bezerra's application according to regulations.
According to research, Nam Dinh club registered striker Rafaelson Fernandes as a domestic player in V.League 2024-2025, with the Vietnamese name Nguyen Xuan Son.
Regarding this, coach Vu Hong Viet said: "In Rafaelson's case, we are doing the naturalization procedures, there is no official announcement yet. We registered in the hope that Son will be naturalized this season."
In case Rafaelson is successfully naturalized, Nam Dinh club will be able to register another foreign player to ensure a total of 5 foreign players for the season.
Next season, the Thien Truong Stadium team will participate in AFC Champions League Two, so they can register 2 more foreign players than teams that do not participate in Asian or Southeast Asian tournaments.
Regarding the story of naturalization, Rafaelson shared: "I am very happy because this will be a big moment for me. I received a lot of support from the club, fans and supporters.
I am very compatible with life in Vietnam, from the people, the food, everything... The integration process for me and my family was not too difficult at all.
Vietnamese people love vegetables, there are many kinds of vegetables here. Traditional Vietnamese dishes also suit me. I often eat pho, bun cha..."
Regarding his goals for the new season, the striker born in 1997 emphasized: "I hope I will have the best season possible. I am always ready, physically and mentally prepared before each match, because my task is to score goals.
I want to take each step steadily, and I want to score in each match. I don't look too much into the future, but try to do well in the present."
