Lucao's hat-trick against former club: Professionalism or ingratitude?

On the evening of September 5, Lach Tray Stadium became hot not only because of a goal shower. Lucas Vinicius – Lucao – was running towards the stands after scoring his third goal against Hai Phong. He raised his arms to celebrate, with a full smile of a winner. The match ended with a 4-1 defeat for CLB Ninh Binh in round 1 of V-League 2026-2027, but the story was just beginning. Suddenly, the fanpage HPFC Capital, with only 7,800 followers, declared: "Raising a dog to see it be loyal". That status appeared and quickly spread in a way no one could predict. It touched a deep and painful wound in Vietnamese football: when talking about foreign players, do we really understand professionalism? The context is not new, but it was reignited in a very particular way. Lucao had two years playing for Hai Phong (2026-2026). He scored, he bonded for a while, then left like hundreds of other foreign players who come to Vietnam to earn a living. Last year, when he moved to The Cong – Viettel, he himself scored a brace against Hai Phong at Lach Tray, celebrating with emotion. No one reacted negatively. But this time, when he left once more, to the new team Ninh Binh, and scored against his former club again, the comments were completely different. Let's look at the story according to the principles of a true footballing environment. In a professional environment, players are skilled laborers. They sign contracts, receive salaries, devote themselves during their time of service. When a contract ends, they are free to choose a new destination. Nobody gives a player a huge fee and expects him to cling to eternal emotion for the old shirt. If we work for a company, then find a better opportunity with a higher salary, would we hesitate? Or when at the new company, are we not allowed to fully demonstrate our abilities because of awkwardness with the old company? Absurd. One fan wrote on social media: "Yes, the dog came back to bite three times, and celebrates happily". That sentence is startling in its cruelty and injustice. It inadvertently reveals a feudal mentality that still exists among a fraction of the audience: treating players – especially foreign players – as a kind of livestock bought for loyalty, not as individuals with the right to pursue professional well-being. But society has changed. Professional football has changed too. Foreign players come to Vietnam not out of love for the S-shaped land, but because of a job that pays well. They respect contracts, respect the spectators, but that does not mean they have to suppress their own desire to express themselves. Lucao celebrating after scoring against his former club is a very... human act. If you look at top European leagues, you'll see Mario Balotelli celebrating wildly against Inter, Cristiano Ronaldo sometimes refrained from celebrating when scoring against Manchester United but at other times was full of joy against Juventus in the Champions League. That diversity of emotions is part of football culture. Some players don't celebrate out of respect for their old team, but some choose to celebrate because they want to prove a point. Both are justified. Above all, they are doing their job. The post on HPFC Capital's fanpage was uncivilized, and many Hai Phong fans themselves felt ashamed for it. One account commented: "The admin of the page doesn't represent Hai Phong fans". Another said: "I feel ashamed for Hai Phong people to have an admin like that". That is the voice of those who understand. They know that football requires decency, and degrading a player just because he no longer wears the home team's shirt is a sign of a losing culture. In any labor market, workers have the right to seek better opportunities. If Hai Phong wanted to keep Lucao, they needed to offer an attractive deal or build a truly appealing environment. But they didn't or couldn't. Blaming the player's choice is an easy way out but brings no benefit. More importantly: when a club is financially weaker, they should not vent their anger on someone who contributed to them. They should reassess their fall, not spew venom. A fan commented with bitterness: "If you have money, go and buy Lucao back to play for you. He goes earning money, what loyalty?". This is the most pragmatic answer to the concept of "loyalty" in modern football. If a player is offered a higher salary, he will definitely consider. That is not ingratitude; it is the law of survival. When clubs treat foreign players as commodities that can be bought and sold, they cannot demand the sentiment of a dog. Broadly speaking, Vietnamese football still has much to do in enhancing professionalism, not only on the pitch but also in the stands. The beautiful images in top world leagues are lessons for us: fans can sing all match, but they still respect the opponents. They may throw paper when the referee makes a call, but they do not insult players personally with obscene words. Football is a sport fascinating because of respect and passion, not because of gratuitous hatred. The incident at Lach Tray is not blown out of proportion into a scandal. It is just a bad moment in an overall good picture. But when it is shared widely, it becomes an opportunity for the Vietnamese football community to reflect. We have improved a lot in expertise: more organized tactics, better players, better stadiums. But has the fan culture kept up? Ask foreign players – those who are contributing to the league – how they feel when receiving such insults. I remember watching a match in Argentina, where the home fans of the former team greeted an ex-player with applause before the match. Even when he scored against them, they applauded to honor the years he gave. That is the image of a truly mature football culture. Perhaps we haven't reached that level yet, but every season is a chance to improve. It is undeniable that Lucao has feelings for Hai Phong. All players have memories of where they have been. But a professional knows how to separate personal emotions from work. During the 90 minutes, Lucao is a player of Ninh Binh, and he must fulfill his duty. If he hadn't scored, people would say he played without passion. When he scored and celebrated, they say he is ungrateful. What a bore. Vietnamese football needs players with personality, who dare to express, and dare to take responsibility. Players like Lucao are making the league more attractive, bringing joyful emotions. Don't let a moment of lack of restraint by a few fans make them wary. Turn competitive rivalry into inspiration, not a battle for pride. When the match ended, the Ninh Binh players gathered to celebrate. Lucao wrote his name in V-League round 1 history with a hat-trick, securing a resounding victory. And for a moment, the story about loyalty – or the lack of it – will fade into oblivion. But if it sparks a useful conversation about cheering culture, it is a good thing. Because football is not just about matches, but also the journey of maturity of a football nation, and of those who love it.