Hanoi, 9 August, 2025 – Hanoi FC have opted not to register Brazilian midfielder Hendrio for the first phase of the 2025/26 V.League season as they await the latest developments in his Vietnamese naturalisation process.
On the morning of August 8, reports emerged that Hendrio’s name was absent from Hanoi’s squad list for the opening half of the season. According to recent updates, the capital club is currently working on securing Vietnamese citizenship for the 28-year-old playmaker.
Under the current VPF regulations, clubs are permitted to make changes to both foreign and domestic player registrations until the end of Round 3. This gives Hanoi flexibility to decide whether to register Hendrio as a foreign player or as a Vietnamese player of overseas origin, depending on how his citizenship application progresses.
Hendrio is widely regarded as one of the most talented foreign players in the V.League. He has long expressed his desire to commit his future to Vietnamese football, even harbouring ambitions to represent the national team, similar to his former Nam Dinh teammate Nguyen Xuan Son.
The midfielder signed a three-year contract with Hanoi and has been playing in Vietnam since 2021, starting with Binh Dinh. His breakthrough came in the 2022 season, when he starred as the team’s creative hub, scoring nine goals and guiding them to a V.League bronze medal and the National Cup runners-up spot. However, he left after contract renewal talks stalled.
In December 2022, Hendrio joined Nam Dinh, where he quickly became a pivotal figure in their style of play. His contributions were instrumental in helping the club secure their first-ever V.League title in the 2023/24 season.
Hanoi are now counting on Hendrio’s creativity to boost their attacking play and strengthen their push for silverware in the new season. Should his citizenship process be completed in time, his registration as a local player could offer the club greater flexibility in foreign player selection, potentially giving them a key advantage in the title race.
Dang Long
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