Denilson at the shirt-presenting ceremony in Hai Phong

Brazilian 2002 World Cup winner Denilson de Olivera Araujo Tuesday expressed delight at receiving the #99 shirt at a ceremony held in Hai Phong City’s Harbour View Hotel.

“I am very surprised to be so warmly welcomed here in Hai Phong. I didn’t know anything about Vietnamese football before; but now I do,” Denilson said.

Club president Le Van Thanh told Thanh Nien that he hoped Denilson’s professionalism would make a difference for Hai Phong.

Details of Denilson’s salary haven’t been released but one source puts it at about US$50,000 a month, prompting some fans to joke that the Brazilian’s monthly salary is worth about 1,000 tons of cement.

Reported by Lan Phuong