‘Messi of Vietnam’ arranges engagement ceremony at local football field

The event is planned for Jan. 1, 2024 at the pitch near Hai’s home in Hanoi’s Dong Anh District, a place where he spent much of his childhood.

Following the engagement, the footballer and his fiancée Chu Thanh Huyen will have their wedding around the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday in Feb. 2024.

The couple had their traditional proposal ceremony on Dec. 20.

Linh Pham, the founder of the wedding planning service handling the event, mentioned that 400 guests are expected to attend, and the venue will be adorned with fresh flowers.

Several Vietnamese footballers like center-back Do Duy Manh, defenders Doan Van Hau, and Ho Tan Tai have also chosen football pitches as the venues for their wedding ceremonies.

Hai, 26, dubbed “Messi of Vietnam” by French media, is celebrated for his sports achievements, which include winning the SEA Games 2019 gold medal, the 2018 AFF Cup, and contributing to Vietnam’s notable performance in the 2021 World Cup qualifiers.

He reportedly earns VND100 million (US$4,100) monthly from Cong An Ha Noi FC, following his return from France earlier this year.

Huyen, 23, is a successful online influencer and businesswoman, with over 469,000 followers on TikTok.

The couple, who have been dating since 2021, have been maintaining a low profile on social media as they rarely share photos of each other.