According to Mr Bui Xuan Hoa, Chairman of the SHB Da Nang Football Club, SHB DN’s Argentinian striker Sebastian Gaston Merlo officially became a Vietnamese citizen on Monday.  He will now play under the Vietnamese name Do Merlo.

SHB DN’s star Merlo

Chairman Hoa asked local relevant agencies to make every effort to complete the remaining legal procedures for Merlo, such as issuing an identity card and household registration book, as soon as possible in order to allow him to then play for his club as a domestic footballer.  His next match is the first leg of the quarter-finals of the National Cup 2017 at Quang Ninh on 16 June.

The Argentinian star had previously said, “I really want to become a Vietnamese citizen.  Over recent years, my family has felt very comfortable living in Da Nang and we consider the city to be our second home.  I want to devote myself to the city’s football sector, and that of Viet Nam as a whole, even when I retire as a professional footballer.”

Having joined SHB DN in 2009, Merlo has been amazingly successful during his time with the club, scoring many goals in the V League and in the various cup competitions.  However, Merlo was ruled out for some of the 2012 V-League season after damaging his cruciate ligaments.  He then had difficulty maintaining his place in the team due to his long-term injuries and, as a result, his contract with the club was terminated by mutual consent in 2014. 

After going back to Argentina, he did his utmost to return to full fitness and began playing again for the Ferro Carril Oeste team in 2015.  During that year, some football clubs in Thailand invited Merlo to play for them but he refused as he wanted to return to the Da Nang club.  After a trial period, he was offered a new contract and he then played an important role in helping Da Nang finish in 3^rd place in the V League in 2016.

During his time playing for SHB DN, Merlo was named Viet Nam’s most outstanding foreign footballer in the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2016 league seasons.  In addition, he was the top goalscorer for the league seasons in 2009 with 15 goals, 2010 with 19, 2011 with 22 and 2016 with 24.