Denilson injured before first Vietnam match: reports

Denilson, once the world’s most expensive footballer, has yet to kick a ball in anger for his new Vietnamese club amid reports Tuesday that he’s injured.

The former Brazil international failed to take to the pitch at the weekend, sparking anger among the Hai Phong Cement Football Club faithful, who burned seats and threw objects onto the pitch in protest.

“My doctor said that I can play football within one month,” the player said at a Monday press conference quoted by VietnamNet news website. There were no details of his injury.

Ticket prices rose by more than 30 per cent after the club announced last week that they had signed the 31-year-old, calling him the most famous international footballer ever recruited by a Vietnamese side.

And fans eager to get a glimpse of their new famous forward filled all 30,000 seats at Hai Phong’s Lach Tray stadium for Saturday’s game against Danang. Hai Phong lost 2-0.

On Saturday Denilson told AFP that, having just arrived in the country, he wanted to train more and would join the team “after 10 days.”

Tuoi Tre newspaper quoted him as saying he was not sure he could start on Saturday because “the weather is hot.”

Fans said they felt cheated.

“I think the fans in Hai Phong want a public apology,” one supporter, Pham Van Hung, was quoted by VietnamNet as saying.

Denilson, a member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad, urged them to be patient.

“I want to repay them,” he said. “With my ability, I can bring you wonderful matches.”

Team officials could not be reached by AFP on Tuesday.