Washington Brandão to Song Lam Nghe An: Hope or risky gamble?

JobLam River Nghe AnChoosing Washington Brandão was not a spontaneous decision. With 69 matches played in the V.League, the Brazilian striker has had enough time to understand the Vietnamese football environment, from the weather, the field to the tactical operation of the teams here.

In the second phase of the 2024/2025 season, Washington Brandão played brilliantly, scoring 7 goals and providing 1 assist, helping Hoang Anh Gia Lai stay in the league early. In particular, the Brazilian striker's impressive performance at Vinh Stadium - almost scoring a hat-trick and causing goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet to receive a red card - was considered a powerful "open letter" sent to the Board of Directors of Song Lam Nghe An.

Washington Brandão has a good physique, good stamina and quite comprehensive personal technique. He is especially dangerous when facing average or slow defenses in V.League. His situations of sweeping, pressing and intelligent movement without the ball always make him an ideal destination in quick counter-attacks.

For Song Lam Nghe An – a team that is facing financial difficulties and does not have much time to prepare – recruiting a player who is familiar with the tournament and does not need time to adapt is a safe option. Not to mention that the Brazilian striker can help his young teammates learn, especially in training attitude and tactical movement ability.

However, besides trust, this deal still leaves many doubts in the hearts of Nghe An fans.

First of all, age is something that many people worry about.Washington Brandaowill officially turn 35 next August, and at this age, his physical strength – which used to be his strength – may not be as high as before. The tight schedule and poor quality of the pitches in the V.League could completely cause him to get injured or overloaded.

Not only that, although he has played football in Vietnam for a long time, Brandão's scoring record is not really impressive. 15 goals in 80 matches for Hoang Anh Gia Lai is a very modest number for a foreign striker. His finishing ability has been questioned many times when he missed many clear-cut opportunities.

The next problem is the "curse" that Brazilian strikers have encountered when joining Song Lam Nghe An. In the past,Nghe An football teamrecruited many strikers from the land of samba such as Bruno Henrique, Felipe Martins, Joel Vinícius... but all were disappointing and had to say goodbye early. Vinh Stadium seems to not be a fertile land for strikers from South America.

Furthermore, the playing styles of Song Lam Nghe An and Hoang Anh Gia Lai are quite different, so Brandão may encounter some difficulties in the early stages of the season.

Therefore, if he successfully recruits Brandão, the Brazilian striker needs support from his teammates and patience from the fans. These things will help maximize the ability of an experienced Washington Brandão who is always eager to show himself.