LookAtVietnam – Brazilian football star Denilson de Oliveira Araujo announced his commitment to play for Hai Phong Cement at a press briefing held on June 2 in Hai Phong City.

The former world champion had his first training with the northern city team at Lach Tray Stadium on Monday. (Photo: V.S.I.)

The 32-year-old winger was a member of the 2002 Brazilian World Cup squad which was held in South Korea and Japan. He also helped Brazil win the Copa America and Confederation Cup in 1997.

During his sports career, the winger scored nine goals in 61 matches for Brazil.

Denilson will wear jersey number 99 and play his first V-League game at home against SHB Da Nang on Saturday.

Hai Phong paid more than US$300,000 in transfer fees to ink the player’s signature for the 13 matches left in the second half of V-League season play.

The contract marks V-League’s first with a top world player.

Hai Phong, who edged T&T Ha Noi 1-0 on May 17, is currently placed seventh in the rankings after 13 V-League games.

Earlier this year the team sacked Australian coach Alfred Riedl, former national team coach, for poor performance after three games.

Last month, the team signed Vuong Tien Dung to a one-year contract after he was fired by The Cong.

So far the northern port team has recruited five foreign players in a bid to make this year’s top three.

Among the squad are striker Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, who scored 12 goals last year, and Brazilian stars Leandro de Olivera Daluz and 2006 top scorer Elenildo De Jesus.

The port city’s best performances were a third place V-League finish in 2008 and a Super Cup win in 2006.

Hai Phong failed to recruit Sierra Leonean player Mohamed Kallon, a former player for Italian Serie A club Inter Milan, in a bid in the last two weeks.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News