Across the border: Young footballer Nguyen Minh Hai (left) will head to Laos next year to play for Champasak in the Lao League. — Photo hanoittfc.vn

DA NANG  (VNS) — Nguyen Minh Hai, 19, will play for Lao Champasak club next year, following a one-year loan agreement between Ha Noi T&T and the Lao League team.

Hai told Viet Nam News, during an online interview earlier this week, that he plans to leave for Laos next week in preparation for playing with his new team.

He is the first footballer from Ha Noi T&T Young Football Training Centre to be chosen to play abroad.

"It's an honour for me, as I become the first young player competing abroad. I hope to do a good job in a new country in order to gain experience for the future," Hai said.

"I feel very nervous about my debut wearing a new jersey, and life away from home."

Hai, who was born in Dong Anh District in Ha Noi, began training for football at age 13.

He won the National Under-19 Football Championship in 2009 and the National Under-21 Football Championship this year with Ha Noi T&T Young Football Training Centre team.

As scheduled, the Ha Noi-born player will join with Lao League defending champions competing for the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) Cup in 2014 and the domestic league starting in February.

In football history, Le Huynh Duc was the first Vietnamese player competing abroad when he inked a one-year loan deal with Chinese Lifan Chongquin in 1995.

Striker Nguyen Viet Thang participated in a short course training with Portuguese Porto reserve team in 2005.

Also, top player Le Cong Vinh had a four-month loan with Portuguese Leixoes in 2009-10.

Vinh has just finished his five-month contract with Japanese Consadole Sapporo in the J-League 2.

Last year, Huynh Van Anh, former coach of the V-League's Hoang Anh Gia Lai team, along with four Vietnamese players, signed a contract to take up with the newly established Lao team Hoang Anh-Attapeu in Lao League. — VNS