Hot football news afternoon 13/8: African rookie shines in HAGL colors

Do Hoang Hen steals fans' hearts ahead of Malaysia clash, Ha Chau Phi makes his mark at Hoang Anh Gia Lai, while Fulham causes shockwaves, UEFA plans to reform FIFA, and a host of European giants accelerate in the transfer market.

Hoang Hen draws attention at the airport

The Vietnam national team has departed for Malaysia to prepare for the first leg of the AFF Cup 2026 semifinals. At Noi Bai Airport, Hoang Hen quickly became the center of attention with his handsome appearance, radiant demeanor, and captivating fashion style.

Not only impressing with his looks, Hoang Hen also scored points with his friendliness. The striker kept waving, chatting, signing autographs, and taking photos with fans despite a tight travel schedule. He also joked freely with his teammates, showing a positive mindset ahead of the big match.

After arriving in Malaysia, focus will return to the pitch. Fans hope that Hoang Hen's positive energy will translate into an explosive performance, helping Vietnam gain an advantage over Malaysia.

Chau Phi makes his mark at HAGL

African defender makes an impressive debut in HAGL colors by scoring in his very first match for the Mountain City team during a training camp in Thailand. The player born in 2003 came through the Thanh Hoa academy and has been called up to the U19, U20, and U23 Vietnam national teams.

Before the new season, Chau Phi joined Ninh Binh but was loaned to HAGL by that club to gain more playing time. In a friendly match against Suphanburi, the defender from Thanh Hoa scored, helping HAGL secure a 2-1 victory.

Scoring on his debut is a positive sign, opening up an opportunity for Chau Phi to compete for a spot and turn his time at HAGL into a turning point in his career.

Slow ticket sales ahead of Vietnam-Malaysia showdown

As of the morning of August 13th, the first leg of the AFF Cup 2026 semifinal between Malaysia and Vietnam has only sold 3,563 online tickets, equivalent to about 20% of the 18,000-seat capacity of the Kuala Lumpur Stadium. Notably, FAM opened sales on August 11th, but demand remains quite low.

One of the reasons is believed to be a sharp increase in ticket prices, as adult general admission tickets were raised from 30 to 50 RM, an increase of nearly 67% compared to the group stage. Many Malaysian fans are unhappy with this decision, especially since the match is not being held at Bukit Jalil due to ongoing renovations.

FAM is expected to ramp up ticket sales in the final days to give Malaysia a home advantage against Vietnam.

UEFA plans to reform FIFA

The crisis at the highest level of world football continues to escalate as UEFA and its allies seek to change the leadership and governance structure of FIFA, putting pressure on President Gianni Infantino.

In Salzburg, some European football officials discussed reform plans, notably including the idea of rotating the FIFA presidency among continental confederations. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin is said to have held several meetings, while the presence of CAF President Patrice Motsepe also drew attention.

Other plans include an independent assessment of FIFA's governance and building a more professional administrative apparatus. UEFA and its allies are said to consider a change in leadership and governance reform as a necessary condition to resolve the current crisis.

Fulham walks off, leaving Malaga "to play alone"

Fulham created an unbelievable scene in a friendly match against Malaga when they suddenly left the pitch after a 2-2 draw, instead of participating in the penalty shootout for the Costa del Sol Trophy. This forced the home team to take a penalty into an empty net, much to the astonishment of the crowd at La Rosaleda.

Fulham later explained that both teams had agreed beforehand not to go to penalties if the match ended in a draw. However, the drama didn't stop there as coach Alvaro Arbeloa received a red card after arguing with referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias.

Spanish media harshly criticized the incident, turning the 2-2 draw into a talking point due to the chaotic scenes after the final whistle.

Transfer news

Galatasaray inquires about Martinelli: The Turkish champions have submitted an opening bid of 45 million euros for Gabriel Martinelli, but Arsenal has not made a decision yet. The Brazilian striker also has no intention of leaving the Emirates.

Arsenal wants another center-back: The Gunners are monitoring Ezri Konsa and Marc Pubill. Aston Villa is reportedly asking for around 60 million pounds for Konsa, while Atletico Madrid is reluctant to sell Pubill.

Man Utd and Chelsea eyeing Camara: Two Premier League giants are scouting Lamine Camara after Monaco rejected a €50 million offer from Crystal Palace.

Barca sounds out Porro: Barcelona has contacted the representatives of Pedro Porro, but Tottenham values the defender at around 68 million pounds.

Man Utd targets Camavinga: The Red Devils have inquired about Eduardo Camavinga, but the French midfielder prefers to continue his stay at Real Madrid.