Ninh Binh beat Haiphong 4-1: Lucao's hat-trick sparks a debate over loyalty and professional fan culture

On the evening of September 5, 2026, Ninh Binh produced an impressive comeback at Lach Tray Stadium, beating hosts Haiphong 4-1 in Round 1 of V-League 2026-2027. Three of the visitors' four goals came from Brazilian striker Lucas Vinicius, better known to Haiphong fans as Lucao. He played for Haiphong between 2026 and 2026, and his return to Lach Tray in a new shirt turned into a nightmare for his former team's defence. Lucao's hat-trick did not simply give Ninh Binh their first three points of the season. It also triggered a debate beyond the touchline, where the boundary between supporters' emotion and professional culture was once again left open. After the match, Fanpage HPFC Capital, a fanpage with around 7,800 followers, posted the status: “You raise a dog to see its loyalty.” The post was clearly aimed at Lucao, who had just scored three goals against his old club and celebrated with visible emotion. It was quickly screenshotted and shared across football forums. Even though the fanpage is relatively small and is not an official channel of Haiphong FC, the administrator's behaviour still made the Vietnamese football community ask questions. In reality, Lucao is no stranger to scoring against Haiphong after leaving the club. Last season, while playing for The Cong-Viettel, the Brazilian forward scored a brace in a 2-1 win at Lach Tray. At that time, his celebration did not trigger a strong hostile reaction. This time, however, he scored three goals and the words from his former club's supporters became much heavier. In football, it is perfectly normal for a foreign player to spend a few seasons in Vietnam and then move to another club. A contract ends, the old club does not keep him, the new club offers a better salary, and the player leaves. That is exactly what a professional footballer does. Scoring and celebrating against a former club is common in every league in the world. Supporters may be upset, and they may even mock him, but they should not use the image of a “dog” to describe a player simply because he is doing his job as a professional. A professional footballer does not owe his old club eternal loyalty; he owes his current club effort and commitment in every match. Lucao played with full commitment for Ninh Binh not because he betrayed Haiphong, but because that is the job he is paid to do. If he had played below his level merely because the opponent used to pay his wages, Haiphong supporters would probably have criticised him even more harshly. The comment section on Fanpage HPFC Capital also showed division. Some echoed the post: “Right, the dog came back and bit us three times, then celebrated happily.” Others turned against the admin: “I feel ashamed for the people of Haiphong because we have an admin like this,” and “This fanpage does not represent Haiphong fans.” While the V-League is expected to become more professional, with clubs spending more on foreign players and raising the standard of play, the attitude of a minority of spectators is being left behind. The pitch can be well maintained, contracts can be drafted carefully, but the way some fans behave has yet to catch up with that pace. Many comments defending Lucao make a simple point based on everyday reality: people work for money, and they move where the pay is better. One supporter wrote: “Football is just a paid job. Like me going to work for a salary. The owner is not raising me. I am the same as him – if someone pays more, I go. It's that simple.” The comparison may sound crude, but it accurately reflects the nature of labour relations in modern football. Clubs in the V-League constantly replace foreign players after each season. Many have short-term contracts of only one or two years. They do not have enough time to build the same bond as players developed through a club's youth academy. If they were treated merely as “hired workers” while wearing the club's shirt, then when they leave and meet the old club again, accusations of being “ungrateful” should also be reconsidered. In this story, Lucao does not necessarily owe anyone an apology. The Brazilian celebrates goals as a way of showing emotion toward his new club and new supporters. He also celebrated when he played for Haiphong and scored for that club. That is sport. What is much harder to accept is that someone representing a fan community uses uncivilised language to enforce a twisted kind of loyalty. In fact, many big European clubs have seen players leave to join rivals. They may be booed in the first meeting, but over time supporters usually remember what the player gave them more than the fact that he later wore another shirt. Vietnamese football is moving toward a higher standard, where both foreign and domestic players should be regarded as professionals rather than possessions. On the Haiphong fans' page, one person commented: “Watch football in a more civilised way. It is also a job. This tree you eat, you fence that tree.” The phrase may be colloquial, but it cuts to the issue: Lucao's duty right now belongs to Ninh Binh; the fact Haiphong could not re-sign him in the transfer window should not be treated as the player's fault. If an ordinary worker changes companies after his contract expires and then performs well at the new company, nobody calls him a “dog.” But when the same thing happens on a football field, people are quick to use bitter language. That difference comes from the fact that football is a sport full of emotion, club colours and local pride. Pride is worth respecting. Yet the line between pride and possessiveness is very thin. When supporters demand that a player stay “loyal” even if the club no longer wants him, or when a player is told to suppress his joy because he fears offending his old fans, football is no longer a game. It becomes an irrational imposition of emotion. Looking at the match at Lach Tray, Ninh Binh deserved all three points. They were effective in front of goal, and Lucao was the man who made the difference. But this story goes far beyond the score. Whether this hat-trick by a former player will be remembered as a professional milestone or as an excuse to debate attitudes depends largely on how supporters frame it. Haiphong FC probably needs to make a gentle communication move, not necessarily apologise, but remind fans to show respect toward players. As for Lucao, he cannot control what others write about him. He can only keep scoring, keep being professional and let his performances speak for themselves. The 2026-2027 V-League season has just begun. There is a long road ahead in terms of competition, but the battle for supporter culture is just as important. If Vietnamese football wants to call itself truly professional, it cannot accept behaviour that treats players as pets. Players may leave, shirts may change, but respect for people should stay behind.