Vietnam star midfielder joins AFC’s anti-Covid-19 campaign

The campaign aims to encourage people to learn and adopt necessary practices to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes the Covid-19 disease.

Standing with Hai in this campaign are Iranian international referee Alireza Faghani, Indian women's football team captain Bala Devi, Chinese striker Wang Shanshan, Qatar striker Almoez Ali, Kyrgyzstan defender Tamirlan Kozubaev, South Korean midfielder Kim Min-woo and Thailand head coach Akira Nishino.

"In the fight against this virus, just as in football, there is no substitute for teamwork. The greatest comebacks in all aspects of life require everyone coming together to work in unity," Hai says in a promotion video for the campaign.

"This is our best chance of defeating this virus. I urge everyone to follow the instructions of the true unsung heroes of this outbreak - our healthcare professionals. We can all break the chain by keeping safe, staying positive and with some patience and discipline, we will rise above this outbreak."

The public awareness message is an opportunity for footballers to contribute their mite and reinforce guidelines put in place by the World Health Organization (WHO) to maintain the highest standards of personal hygiene and social distancing.

With #BreakTheChain attracting millions of interactions with people globally, it is hoped that the push will serve to popularize the necessity of taking preventive steps to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

A key player in Vietnam’s national football team under coach Park Hang-seo, Hai has won widespread acclaim for his excellent performances in major tournaments, including a string of impressive displays at the 2018 AFF Cup and 2019 Asian Cup.