Việt Nam’s first African-Vietnamese player

Jason Quang Vinh Pendant (right) pictured with another expat player of Vietnamese origin Filip Nguyễn. — Photo courtesy of Hà Nội Police FC

Anh Đức

In a surprising move from out of nowhere, French-born Vietnamese Jason Quang Vinh Pendant transferred to the V.League, and will play for the 2022 Champions Hà Nội Police FC.

Pendant arrives with no fanfare, only a video clip of the player standing proudly glancing at the flag of Việt Nam in the Ba Đình Square in the theme of “Bonjour Vietnam” playing in the background.

Players of colour in the V.League are common, but this is the first time an African-Vietnamese player will perform in Việt Nam’s highest football competition, with Pendant even aiming to make the national team.

The left-back has been one of my awaited expat players, ever since football reporters discovered his name in the quest for footballers with Vietnamese descent playing abroad. Born in France to a French-Guianan father and a Vietnamese mother, Pendant has been playing in France’s Ligue 2 and the US’s MLS for a long time, and his experience, skills and stamina could be useful for an ambitious team such as Hà Nội Police FC.

Joining Hà Nội Police could also be a great move in Pendant’s quest to join the national team, as the club was instrumental in Filip Nguyễn’s naturalisation process. Should he make South Korean coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad, the left-back position will have a chance to be strengthened greatly in the future, as Đoàn Văn Hậu is still recovering from injury and Phan Tuấn Tài is still young.

However, many expat players in the past have struggled to adapt to the V.League’s atmosphere, with players such as Lee Nguyễn, Adriano Schmidt, Mạc Hồng Quân and even Filip Nguyễn serving as example. Pendant’s experience is proven, but it will take a lot of time for him to share the rhythm with his teammates.

Furthermore, one more thing that I would worry about is the fans’ reactions towards Pendant, should he have his bad days and cannot perform. We see this regularly in foreign leagues where players of African descent are subjected to racist slurs even by home fans. And football fans are not the brightest nor the calmest when it comes to defeats.

Should Pendant make it to the national team, he will make history as the first black footballer to play for the Golden Star Warriors. He has been chasing this since 2019 and even talked with the VFF for a long time. I am sure Việt Nam is in his heart and win or lose, he is always a Vietnamese. — VNS