Vietnam star midfielder good addition to French league: sports newspaper

“It’s both a gamble and a nice move by Pau FC. The club have indeed chosen Nguyen Quang Hai for his potential and also for what he represents in Southeast Asia. With nearly 800,000 followers on Instagram and over 2.5 million likes on Facebook, the midfielder can attract not just the fans but also media and various sponsors,” L’Equipe wrote.

The famed newspaper called Hai the “Vietnamese Messi” and stated his presence would benefit Ligue 2.

“For his first experience in Europe, he wanted to find a club that is capable of offering him playing time in the hope of a breakthrough and aiming even higher. He is sure to be one of the attractions of Ligue 2,” it said.

Hai is expected to undergo a medical in two days and sign his two-year contract with Pau FC, plus an optional year, making him the first-ever Vietnamese player to play in a pro league in France.

In six seasons with his former club Hanoi FC, Hai played 126 matches, scored 35 times and won every domestic title and Vietnam Golden Ball in 2018.

Hanoi offered Hai a new contract, but he remained steadfast about wanting to play football abroad.

The 25-year-old also played an important role in Vietnam winning second place at 2018 AFC U23 Championship, the 2018 AFF Cup and SEA Games 30 and in Vietnam’s journey to the final round of 2022 World Cup qualifiers.