Singapore national team goalkeeper Hassan Sunny has urged Chinese football fans to stop sending him money after his saves in Singapore’s 3-1 defeat to Thailand helped China to reach the next round of World Cup qualifiers.
The 40-year-old made 11 saves on Tuesday as Thailand fell woefully short of a place in the next round draw on June 27 despite winning 3-1.
Thailand needed to win by three clear goals, or score at least four with a two-goal margin of victory, to overtake the Chinese in the standings.
Hassan went viral on Chinese social media overnight and the payment QR code for the food stall he runs with his wife circulated online, with Chinese fans using it to send money.
“I enjoyed it for a while. I was like, oh okay, the money’s coming in. But having said that, I was wondering when is it going to stop? Is it legal?” Hassan told Singaporean broadcaster CNA. “I think we need to stop somewhere.”
Hassan warned that fans could be scammed as fake QR codes had also been circulating.
“I really appreciate your support over the past few days, which has allowed me to fully experience the passion of Chinese football fans,” Hassan wrote in a social media post on Thursday.
“In recent days, the QR code for payments at my coconut rice stall has been widely distributed online, and some videos have even been edited with fake QR codes.
“Therefore, I appeal to everyone to be rational in their support and stop transferring money to me via the Internet.”
