Michael Olaha Becomes Naturalized Vietnamese National Team Player After Struggling in Israeli Football

Michael Olaha, a Nigerian striker once released without scoring by Hapoel Tel Aviv, has transformed his career in Vietnam, becoming a naturalized player for the Vietnamese national football team. After an unremarkable stint in Israel, where he also played for Hapoel Kfar Saba without notable success, Olaha moved to Vietnam in 2017, joining Song Lam Nghe An. There, his physical style and presence in the box quickly made him a key player and fan favorite.

Since 2022, Olaha has scored 39 goals and provided 19 assists for Song Lam Nghe An, even captaining the team, a rare honor for a foreign player in Vietnam. In the 2025/26 season, he scored nine league goals, helping his club maintain its top-tier status and finishing fourth in the league's top scorers list. This summer, Olaha transferred to Công An TP.HCM, a club with higher ambitions in the Vietnamese league.

Parallel to his club success, the Vietnamese Football Federation actively supported Olaha's naturalization process, which was officially approved this week. This development comes as Vietnam recently won the Southeast Asian Football Championship, marking a celebratory moment for the country and Olaha's integration into its football scene. His journey from a forgotten foreign player in Israel to a national team member in Vietnam highlights a remarkable career turnaround.