Denilson celebrates with his colleagues after scoring a goal during his Sunday debut for Hai Phong.

In a tame anti-climax to the hoopla, hype and crowd violence that marked his signing, former Brazilian international and World Cup Winner Denilson de Oliveira Araujo will leave Vietnam today.

Denilson de Oliveira Araujo, the most famous international footballer ever recruited by a Vietnamese side, scored from a free-kick in the first minute of Sunday’s match and assisted in the second goal. He played throughout the first half, helping Hai Phong Cement to a 3-1 home win over Hoang Anh Gia Lai in a V-League encounter.

In his request to leave, the 31-year-old said he had never thought of leaving the squad so soon, and had intended to play for it throughout the V-League tournament and beyond. But it is hard for him to contribute to the club with poor health, which he said he realized clearly during the Sunday match.

He said he was moved by the support of Hai Phong fans and it was the support that led him to the decision to leave, because he couldn’t do a good job for Hai Phong in his current condition.

Do Dai Duong, director of Hai Phong Cement and who had been handed the letter by Denilson himself, told Thanh Nien they had to let Denilson go as he had not recovered as well as expected from his injuries, and it did not look like he would regain good health in the next several months.

“Denilson acted exactly as a professional footballer should.”

Denilson also sent a thank-you letter to Hai Phong fans for their encouragement and support.

Thirty thousand fans had packed the team’s stadium early this month expecting Denilson, a member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad, would play in the first match after his signing.

When Denilson instead sat in the stands as his team lost, anger escalated and some supporters in the northeastern port city burned piles of trash, newspapers in the stadium seats and threw several objects on to the pitch.

The coaches and Denilson himself mentioned health and acclimatization reasons for not playing in that match.

Duong said the club had tried pretty hard to sign the contract with Denilson. Yet he admitted it would be bad for Denilson’s career and the club would also gain nothing if he tried to play while injured.

“We (Hai Phong Cement) also think that to let him leave will help protect his career. We respect his decision.”

African, European, Asian and Brazilian players have become common features in Vietnamese football teams but a World Cup winner of Denilson’s stature is a rarity.

The Brazilian star’s arrival had also generated heated debate about his remuneration, with one local media report putting it at between US$40,000 and $50,000 a month.

Early this month Denilson had said his salary was less than the $40,000- 50,000 a month reported by unnamed sources in local media, but Duong told Thanh Nien he would only be paid for the Sunday match.

Hai Phong Cement can give him some extra money within its capacity if he needs it, Duong added.

Denilson was once the world’s most expensive footballer when Real Betis paid São Paulo FC $32 million for him.

Reported by Lan Phuong