Denilson quits after debut

AFTER playing a half a game for Vietnam's Hai Phong Cement FC, former Brazil international Denilson, 31, has shocked fans by quitting the team because of injuries, the Vietnam Football Federation said.

Once the world's most expensive player, Denilson scored a goal from a free kick in the first minutes of his only V-League appearance on Sunday to help Hai Phong Cement defeat former champions Hoang Anh Gia Lai 3-1. However, the Brazilian winger sat out the second half with a leg injury.

The VFF said he had quit the team on Tuesday and was planning to leave the country. "One more time, fans were as shocked as his surprise appearance a few days ago," the VFF report said.

Denilson was the subject of a world transfer record in 1998 when Real Betis paid around £21 million to sign him.

The VFF report said the Brazilian's contract only stipulated payment for matches he played. He was paid $12,000 for the match and a $5,000 bonus for the goal, online newspaper Ngoisao.net reported.