After successfully gaining Vietnamese citizenship, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh has set his sights on earning a spot on the Vietnam national football team.

"My name is Cao Pendant Quang Vinh. I am Vietnamese. My family and I are extremely proud to receive Vietnamese citizenship. My mother called me while I was training with the CAHN (Hanoi Police) club, and when I called her back, she was almost in tears," Quang Vinh shared.

Just like fellow naturalized player Nguyen Filip, Quang Vinh faces a language barrier as one of his biggest challenges. The 1997-born footballer is determined to overcome this by studying Vietnamese regularly.

"I have three Vietnamese lessons every week, and I also study on my own using a language app on my phone. My Vietnamese is improving every day," he said.

Eager to wear the national colors

Quang Vinh expressed his excitement after a long wait to receive citizenship: "I was very anxious during the waiting period. It felt like a long time for me. I am so happy that my Vietnamese citizenship process ended successfully.

"I love Vietnam. It’s a wonderful place to live. Vietnamese people are kind and hospitable. My family and I enjoy Vietnamese cuisine and the beautiful landscapes," said the CAHN defender.

Due to the need to complete the nationality transition process with FIFA, Jason Quang Vinh missed the opportunity to join the Vietnam national team during the March FIFA Days, when the team prepared to face Laos.

"I am officially Vietnamese now. This is a tremendous motivation for me to keep working hard on the field. I will give my best performance to prove myself and aim for a call-up to the Vietnam national team," Quang Vinh affirmed.

Dai Nam