Simple message ignites football star and beauty queen’s romance

Football star Doan Van Hau and Doan Hai My, a top-10 Miss Vietnam 2020 competitor, at their wedding ceremony in Hanoi Nov. 26, 2023. Photo from My's Facebook

The footballer and the beauty queen revealed this and similar details of their love story in a recent interview.

Hau admitted that he was attracted to My’s beautiful appearance and thus took the initiative to message her on social media. His simple first move then unexpectedly made an impression on My and kickstarted their beautiful love story.

"I found it impressive as normally no one approaches me that way," the beauty queen explained. "So, I responded to him in a similarly bland manner."

The two then texted each other back and forth for a while. Then they decided to meet in person.

Hau said he initially just wanted to treat My like a normal friend. But My’s personality had such an immediately profound effect on him that he decided he wanted to date her.

However, Hau’s first attempt to confess his feelings to My failed.

"My said we needed to talk and to meet more [to better understand each other]," he recalled. "She said we should let the relationship between us progress naturally."

Nevertheless, Hau understood from My’s response that she also had feelings for him, so he patiently kept pursuing her and eventually got a nod from the beauty queen.

The footballer said that he believed his relationship with My was destined to be: he was sure it was fate. Both of them were dating other people when they first met, and they did not talk to each other for roughly a year after their first encounter as Hau moved to the Netherlands to join SC Heerenveen FC.

Still, they eventually talked to each other again and became lovers.

"Hau is passionate in both his work and life," My said about her husband. "He’s humorous, but he’s more about doing than talking. He doesn’t often show his love through cheesy sayings, but he does so through actions."

Meanwhile, Hau praised his wife as a "gentle, sensitive woman with many other good qualities."

"When I feel impatient, she gives me advice and helps me calm down to resolve everything."

Hau, 24, gained popularity after his early-career performances made him a regular starter on the national football team. His play contributed to Vietnam winning the 2018 SEA Games.

He and My, 22, began dating a few months after My competed in the 2020 Miss Vietnam contest.

The couple publicized their relationship in 2022. They completed their engagement ceremony in Hanoi on Nov. 11, followed by a same-day wedding ceremony at Hau’s hometown in northern Thai Binh province and another wedding ceremony in the capital on Nov. 26.

They recently went to Singapore for Hau’s heel injury treatment. It was revealed that Hau does not need surgery, but he has to rest for a few more months before he can return to the football pitch.