Superstar midfielder Hai not afraid of failure abroad

Hai’s contract with his current club Hanoi FC will expire on April 12 and he has refused extension as the 25-year-old wants to seek a new challenge abroad. His future has been a trending topic recently, with many worried he won’t be able to adapt in a new environment just like other Vietnamese players who have played for foreign clubs in the past.

“Accepting new challenges is already a success to me personally. We’ll see if I can adapt to the new environment and get more playing time. My predecessors who played abroad have provided many lessons. I can learn from them and develop in the direction that I have planned,” Hai said.

Hai is said to have received offers from European, American, Japanese, South Korean and Thai clubs. However, he hasn’t revealed his next destination.

“One thing is for sure, I always want to play at a higher level of football to challenge myself, to gain more experience and learn new things,” he said.

Hai is the most successful player in Vietnamese football history. At 24, he has won just about every national and regional title including three V. League titles, two National Cups, the Vietnam Super Cup, the Vietnam Golden Ball award, the AFF Cup, a SEA Games gold medal, and an Asian U23 silver medal.

In six seasons with Hanoi, he played 125 games and scored 34 goals.

He will play his last league game for Hanoi on Monday, against Viettel FC.

“I’ll miss the teamwork and support from fans when I leave Hanoi. I hope that I can help the club score a good result in the last game. Our goal is three points. But Viettel are strong and have many good players. It’ll be an exciting derby for capital fans,” he said.