Vietnam naturalized striker sets scoring record at ASEAN Cup

Nguyen Xuan Son (number 12) celebrates after scoring the second goal for Vietnam in their 2-1 victory over Thailand in the first leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final at Viet Tri Stadium, Phu Tho, on Jan. 2, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

The Brazilian-born striker now leads the tournament's scoring board with seven goals, three ahead of Nguyen Tien Linh (Vietnam), Suphanat Mueanta (Thailand) and Shawal Anuar (Singapore). Anuar will not have the chance to improve his tally as Singapore have already been eliminated.

Son achieved this feat in just four matches, scoring three braces in stellar performances: his debut in a 5-0 win against Myanmar in the final group stage match, the second leg of the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Singapore, and the first leg of the final with a 2-1 win against Thailand.

Against Thailand, Son opened the scoring in the 59th minute with a powerful header from Vu Van Thanh’s pass. In the 73rd minute, he capitalized on a defensive error by Chalermsak Aukkee to break free and smash the ball into the far corner, completing his brace. He had two more chances to beat goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai but missed both.

With a comfortable lead on the board and just one match left in the tournament, Son is a strong contender for the top scorer title. If successful, he will become the second Vietnamese player to achieve this honor, following Tien Linh in 2022.

Son has also become the first Vietnamese player to score more than six goals in a ASEAN Cup tournament. Additionally, he is the first Vietnamese player to score in four consecutive matches, breaking the previous record of six goals set by Le Huynh Duc, who scored in three consecutive group stage matches during the 1996 Tiger Cup (now ASEAN Cup).

The all-time record for most goals in a single ASEAN Cup belongs to former Singapore striker Noh Alam Shah, who scored 10 goals in 2007, including seven goals against Laos.

Son, whose birth name is Rafaelson Fernandes, was born in 1997 and acquired Vietnamese citizenship in September 2024. He is the first naturalized player without Vietnamese ancestry to be called up to the national team since 2009, following in the footsteps of Phan Van Santos, Huynh Kesley Alves, Dinh Hoang Max and Dinh Hoang La.