Lee Nguyễn will play for HCM City as a domestic player as he had Vietnamese nationality since 2011. Photo tintucvietnam.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — V.League 1’s HCM City have signed midfielder Lee Nguyễn, who once played for David Beckham’s Inter Miami CF in the American Major League Soccer (MLS).

The overseas Vietnamese player will join HCM City with a one-year contract and receive a monthly salary of around US$50,000 which is considered a record in Việt Nam.

Nguyễn will play in the V.League 1 2021 as a domestic player as he has had Vietnamese nationality since 2011 with the name of Nguyễn Thế Anh Lee.

Nguyễn has played 239 games in the MLS, scored 54 goals and had 58 assists. From 2014 to 2017, he was regularly named in the US national team.

Earlier, Nguyễn played in Việt Nam in 2009 for former champions Hoàng Anh Gia Lai. He played 24 matches before moving to three-time winners Becamex Bình Dương where he failed to shine and left after a year.

After signing in the states, Nguyễn shone for the New England Revolution for six years till 2018. He was in the MLS’s best XI in 2014.

In 2019, he scored three goals and helped Los Angeles FC win the Western Conference Championship.

In November 2019, Nguyễn competed for Inter Miami, which is co-owned by football legend David Beckham.

“It is true that we recruited him, Lee Nguyễn. He has good skills and is one of top player in the US league. He has a lot of experience in a professional football environment. So, I am very satisfied with this contract,” Mano Polking, coach of HCM City told media.