On December 4, 2025, President Luong Cuong signed a decision to naturalize center back Gustavo Santos as a Vietnamese citizen.
The naturalization decision awarding ceremony for the player born in 1995 will be held in Da Nang on December 11 and he chose the Vietnamese name Do Phi Long.
Gustavo's naturalization process took place much faster than expected, only about 5 months. This advantage comes from the support of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), the leadership of SHB Da Nang club - the home team, and the head coach of the national team Kim Sang-sik - who closely followed and highly appreciated his ability.
Currently, VFF is reviewing related conditions to ensure that Gustavo (now Do Phi Long) fully meets FIFA regulations. If there are no obstacles, he can soon be called up to the Vietnam national team.
Gustavo Santos, 1m95 tall, is a Brazilian central defender who has been involved in Vietnamese football since 2019, having played for Saigon FC, Song Lam Nghe An and Dong A Thanh Hoa - where he achieved his peak form and contributed greatly to the two National Cup championships of the Thanh team.
After the 2024-2025 season, Gustavo moved to Da Nang and continued to affirm his value with a solid playing style, good attack capability and outstanding aerial advantage.
In the coming time, the Vietnam team may welcome a number of other naturalized players such as Patrik Le Giang, Geovane Magno, Janclesio or Gordon Rimario.
