H VL EAGUE LEGEND
During the most glorious years of Da Nang football, when Chi Lang Stadium was filled with orange flags, Do Merlo, then Gaston Merlo, was loved by many fans of the Han River football team. In his debut season in the V-League, the Argentinean immediately won the Golden Boot with 15 goals, contributing nearly 1/3 of the team's goals and also "won" the title of Best Player of the tournament. In the next 2 seasons, he continuously impressed, scoring 19 goals and 21 goals respectively to make a hat-trick of Golden Boot titles. Through 2 periods (not yet naturalized and becoming a domestic player) playing in the V-League, Do Merlo scored a total of 157 goals, won the V-League championship 2 times, and won the Golden Boot title 4 times.
Do Merlo is not only a legend of Da Nang Club but also considered one of the "icons" in V-League with excellent professional skills and a spirit of constant effort.
Looking at all those statistics, Do Merlo deserves to be ranked among the top foreign players in V-League history. However, the "legacy" that this striker left behind is not only goals and titles but also the spirit of constant effort. When he first came to Vietnam, he was not highly appreciated because he could not perform fancy moves like Huynh Kesley but mainly scored goals with his head. Over time, Do Merlo gradually improved his footwork skills, finishing more and more impressively. Even when he became a 36-year-old "uncle", he was still the leader of Saigon FC, scoring 10 goals in the period 2021 - 2023. At the age of 39, he continued to play for Ho Chi Minh City Youth Club in the second division, making a great contribution to helping the team win a ticket to play in the first division.
Son of Do Merlo
Do Merlo's passion is also expressed through tears. In the 2020 and 2021 seasons, he burst into tears when he could not help Nam Dinh and Saigon clubs achieve the desired results. It is rare to see a foreign player who plays football with all his heart like Do Merlo. This spirit of dedication has become a source of inspiration for many Vietnamese players, especially those who have spent time with the Argentine striker.
GIVE YOUR HEART TO VN
Do Merlo's long-term commitment to football is also thanks to his naturalization as a Vietnamese citizen in 2017. At the age of 32, he is still a valuable "domestic player" for many clubs in the V-League. He shared with Thanh Nien Newspaper: "Vietnam has completely changed my life. This is the country that opened the door for me to demonstrate my ability. I will be grateful to Vietnam for the rest of my life, grateful to the teams I have played for and all those who helped me become Vietnamese. Naturalization helps the teams gain more strength and also helps me prolong my career a little longer."
Do Merlo's happy family
The striker added: "I think having Vietnamese nationality has helped me a lot. I have people who believe in my ability as well as being able to write my own story in another country, with people who consider me their compatriot. That is very meaningful."
In 2023, Do Merlo announced his retirement because his age prevented him from playing in the V-League, but after helping the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Team to be promoted in 2024, he officially hung up his boots. After that, the striker returned to his homeland, Argentina, to study for a coaching degree, preparing for his coaching career. He shared: "I miss Vietnam every day. My wife and children love Vietnam. I always plan to return to Vietnam with my family. I know it will happen soon. This year, I will complete the coaching course and receive a certificate. I am studying a lot, looking for a lot of information to become a good coach. I am working with a local team in Argentina and we have reached the professional third division."
Do Merlo said he always dreamed of leading Da Nang Club, the team that made his name. However, he is not sure about this possibility. If any team in Vietnam invites him, he will accept. Because Do Merlo and his family always want to live long-term in Vietnam: "I definitely want to live and work in Vietnam, so I am studying to become a coach and return there. Hopefully my children can also complete their studies in Vietnam".
In addition to football-related reasons, the former striker also has many "excuses" to return to Vietnam: "I love everything about Vietnam. The climate in Vietnam is very beautiful. In Argentina, we have very cold months and I don't like that. Vietnamese food is very delicious, just a little spicy, but there are unique dishes like beef pho and fried rice. But what I like most is the Vietnamese people. They are humble, affectionate and respectful. Here, everything is very different." (continued)
Who is Do Merlo?
Do Merlo's real name is Sebastian Gaston Merlo, born on January 26, 1985 in Argentina. Before coming to Vietnam to play in 2009, he spent 9 years playing for small clubs in his hometown. In the V-League, he played for the clubs Da Nang, Nam Dinh, Saigon, and Tre TP.HCM and was loved by fans of these teams. During his years playing in Vietnam, he was a top striker and was always highly regarded for his ability to sniff out goals, operate independently, etc. He is the second best striker in the history of the V-League, only behind Hoang Vu Samson.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/do-merlo-va-giac-mo-gan-bo-tron-doi-voi-viet-nam-185250218214926939.htm
Comment (0)