HOT: Vietnamese-Canadian newcomer added to Vietnam national team roster

Vietnamese-Canadian goalkeeper Aaron Tu Vinh Napierala will be called up to the Vietnam U19 team in the upcoming supplemental session.

During the second training camp of the Vietnam U19 team scheduled for next week, coach Yukata Ikeuchi will add 10 players to the call-up list. Most of them are individuals who impressed while wearing the Vietnam U17 jersey at the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals, such as Gia Bao, Viet Anh, or Duy Khang. Additionally, the coaching staff has decided to give some new talents a chance to compete, aiming to increase competitiveness within the squad.

Notably, the Vietnam U19 team will welcome a Vietnamese-Canadian player in the goalkeeper position, Aaron Tu Vinh Napierala. This is a figure who has attracted considerable attention due to his international training background and significant development potential.

Aaron Tu Vinh Napierala was born in 2007, with a Canadian father and a Vietnamese mother. He plays as a goalkeeper and currently holds dual Vietnamese-Canadian citizenship. Before returning to Vietnam, Aaron spent time training in football environments in Canada and Spain, helping him accumulate experience and professional skills.

In 2024, this young goalkeeper tried his skills at Ho Chi Minh City Club and received positive evaluations from the coaching staff. However, because he is still at an age requiring further development in both expertise and physicality, he was not retained for the first team. Instead, the club based at Thong Nhat Stadium arranged for Aaron to join a domestic football academy, allowing him to continue training and developing before aiming for greater opportunities in the future.

Thus, in this training camp list of the Vietnam U19 team, there are up to 3 Vietnamese-Canadian players, including 2 goalkeepers. Besides Aaron Tu Vinh Napierala, there is also Nguyen Ba Nhat Ka, who possesses a height nearing 2 meters and is currently playing for a high school team in Japan.

Meanwhile, Antonio Moric is a more special case, having trained from a young age in the European environment of Croatia. Thanks to a good performance in the first training session, this Vietnamese-Canadian midfielder was promoted to the Vietnam U23 team to refine his skills alongside senior players.

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