Today, at 7 am, Do Hoang Hen arrived at polling station 22 in Tu Liem ward, Hanoi. He expressed excitement for his first time voting as a Vietnamese citizen, though he was not new to the process, having voted previously in his home countries of Brazil and Spain.

"I felt comfortable and received dedicated assistance from everyone", Hoang Hen stated. "I understand the importance of this act and my responsibility. The Vietnamese people are always united in building and developing the country. This is a unique and important aspect here."

Naturalized Vietnamese midfielder of Brazilian origin Do Hoang Hen casts his vote for the 16th national assembly and people's councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, at polling station 22 in Tu Liem ward, Hanoi, on the morning of 15/3. Photo: Hanoi FC

Hoang Hen, whose birth name is Hendrio Araujo da Silva, was born in Brazil. He became one of the top attacking midfielders in the V-League after joining Binh Dinh club in January 2021, then moving to Nam Dinh club in January 2023. This season, he plays for Hanoi FC under a contract extending until the end of the 2027-2028 season.

On 17/10/2025, Hen officially obtained Vietnamese citizenship, having resided in the country for the required 5 years. He debuted for Hanoi FC in a 1-2 loss to Ninh Binh club in round 7 and is currently the team's top contributor in the V-League 2025-2026, with 6 goals and 4 assists.

Naturalized Vietnamese striker of Brazilian origin Nguyen Xuan Son casts his vote at Tuc Mac cultural house in Nam Dinh ward, Ninh Binh province, this afternoon on 15/3. Photo: Nam Dinh FC

Meanwhile, Nguyen Xuan Son, a former teammate of Hoang Hen at Binh Dinh and Nam Dinh clubs, also cast his vote this afternoon in Nam Dinh ward, Ninh Binh province. He was reminded by his club at the beginning of the month and was also eager for his first election in Vietnam.

Xuan Son, whose Brazilian name is Rafaelson, received Vietnamese citizenship in September 2024. The 1997-born player is considered one of the best strikers to have played in Vietnam, holding the record for scoring 31 goals in the V-League 2023-2024. Son also played a significant role in winning the ASEAN Cup 2024, scoring 7 goals to become the top scorer and be named player of the tournament.

Beyond Hen and Son, three other naturalized V-League players also participated in the elections: Da Nang club center-back Do Phi Long (Brazilian origin), PVF-CAND striker Hoang Vu Samson (Nigerian), and Becamex Ho Chi Minh City midfielder Tran Trung Hieu (Ugandan). Phi Long voted for the first time, while Samson and Trung Hieu were naturalized in 2013 and 2017, respectively.

Naturalized Vietnamese center-back of Brazilian origin Do Phi Long casts his vote in Hoa Khanh ward, Da Nang, on the morning of 15/3. Photo: Da Nang Club

Many overseas Vietnamese players who have obtained Vietnamese citizenship also voted for the first time. This group includes Nguyen Filip (Czech Republic descent) and Cao Pendant Quang Vinh (French descent) from Hanoi Police club, Le Giang Patrik (Slovakian descent) from Ho Chi Minh City Police club, Le Viktor (Russian descent) from Ha Tinh club, Tran Thanh Trung (Bulgarian descent) from Ninh Binh club, and Nguyen Vadim (Russian descent) from Da Nang club.

Nguyen Filip obtained Vietnamese citizenship in December 2023 when he returned to play for Hanoi Police club. After voting with Quang Vinh in Van Giang ward, Hung Yen province, Filip expressed his pride and sense of uniqueness. "I hope the representatives stay close to the people. One important quality for any candidate is a good educational background," the 1992-born goalkeeper said.

Approximately 79 million voters nationwide will cast their ballots today to elect 500 representatives for the 16th National Assembly and provincial and communal people's councils for the 2026-2031 term. Electoral activities in Vietnam are organized based on four principles: universal, equal, direct, and secret ballot. Voting typically begins at 7 am and concludes at 7 pm on the same day.

According to the National Election Council's plan, election results are expected to be announced on 24/3, following the completion of vote tabulation and verification. The first session of the 16th National Assembly is scheduled to open on 6/4. During this session, the National Assembly will review organizational structures, consolidate key State leadership positions, and decide on important matters for the new term.

Hieu Luong