Football

Vietnamese national team captain Đỗ Hùng Dũng at the SEA Games against Myanmar, which the men in red won 1-0. Dũng is excited to play against German Borussia Dortmund later this month in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI Vietnamese players are excited to have a chance to play against German Bundesliga stars during a friendly match on November 30.

The national team will play European giants Borussia Dortmund at Hà Nội's Mỹ Đình Stadium as part of a series of activities to strengthen the relationship between the two sides.

"My teammates and I are happy and honour to receive such a big team, Borussia Dortmund, to Việt Nam," said national skipper Đỗ Hùng Dũng.

"It will be a competitive and beautiful match. And playing against European footballers will help us learn lessons, increase our experience and push our careers.

"I believe BVB players will feel Vietnamese people's love for football," he said.

It has been eight years since the last world-class side, Manchester City, visited Việt Nam. The national side lost 8-1 due to a huge gap in quality between the two squads, with the visitors bringing stars like David Silva, Raheem Sterling and Samir Nasri.

In 2013, Arsenal flew to Hà Nội with a strong squad that included Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky and Olivier Giroud. As a result, the English Premier League side won 7-1 over the hosts.

"Previously, when Manchester City were here, I was a supporter and excited to watch the match. Now, I am a national team member, and I can't wait to play against world stars," Dũng said.

"I regularly watch international leagues, including Bundesliga. It is clear that Borussia Dortmund are fierce opponents with a relentless style of play. I know many clubs in Việt Nam have learnt this style from them."

Striker Nguyễn Văn Quyết, who scored Việt Nam's only goal against Manchester City, holds the same opinion.

"Like other players, I am pleased to compete against players from the Champions League. I think we will put in a good performance as we have recently been at a high peak," he said.

"We will play well with the strong support of local fans. Hope that we will leave a remarkable impression on the visitors."

Việt Nam team will start training for the match on November 23, just one week before the game, which will kick off at 7pm.

The match is organised by the VFF, VPF and Next Media.

Supporters can buy tickets online through the VinID app for VNĐ800,000 (US$32), VNĐ1,200,000 ($48), and VNĐ1,600,000 ($64). VNS