Vietnam’s leading footballer Nguyen Quang Hai has officially signed a two-year contract with French side Pau FC of Ligue 2 after passing a medical check-up on Wednesday. The 25-year-old midfielder will wear the number 19 shirt, the same number he wore when playing for Hanoi FC and the Vietnamese national team. The Hanoi native plans to spend time getting to know his new teammates and to take part in some friendly matches before the new Ligue 2 season starts on July 30.

First established in 1920, Pau FC finished 10th in Ligue 2, France’s second division, in the 2021 – 2022 season.

The move marks the first time that Quang Hai has played for a foreign club. He is following in the footsteps of other national team players such as Nguyen Cong Phuong and Doan Van Hau who previously tried their luck in Europe.

Hai played for Hanoi FC for six seasons, during which he scored 35 goals in 126 matches, won three V.League 1 titles, two National Cups, and three National Super Cups. He was awarded Golden Ball Award in 2018.

The midfielder played a key role in Vietnam winning second place at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship. He also made significant contributions to the national team winning the 2018 AFF Cup, a gold medal in the men’s football at SEA Games 30, and in Vietnam’s journey to the final round of qualifiers to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Source: VOV5