Recently, Zhejiang's much-anticipated young striker Wang Yudong accepted an exclusive interview with Northwestern Watchtower, in which he opened up and shared his desire to stay in the ocean, his nervous memories of his professional debut, as well as his insights into the Asian Junior Championships against Australia.
The dream of staying in the ocean, from the heart's fervent hope
Talking about the dream of staying in the ocean, Wang Yudong's eyes glittered with infinite longing for the future. He revealed that during the two years he spent with former international soccer player Yang Chen's guidance, Yang Chen often told stories about his experiences in the Bundesliga and the World Cup, and these stories were like a bright light that illuminated the path of staying in the ocean in his heart. "Whenever I hear his stories, I have an overwhelming desire to one day spread my wings on the same stage." Wang Yudong admitted that although this goal is still a little far away for him, but he has developed a clear career plan: first in the Super League to play on the main, with excellent performance to win the national team's call, and ultimately realize the dream of playing abroad. Even if he ends up joining the second division of the top five leagues, he believes that will be an important step in his career.
Professional debut, a mix of nerves and growth
Recalling his professional debut, Wang Yudong still has a vivid memory. He confessed that the feeling at that moment was both dreamy and nervous. "I was so nervous, my mind was blank." He said with a smile. Faced with the adult team's faster pace of play and more intense physical confrontation, Wang Yudong felt unprecedented pressure. "I hadn't encountered such a challenge before, and it was really very difficult to steal the ball from the professional team." He recalled. During the game, he was worried that he would miss the ball and thus drag his teammates down, a psychological burden that made him even more cautious. But it was this experience that made him deeply appreciate the cruelty and charm of professional soccer and laid a solid foundation for his future growth.
AFC Junior showdown, a battle of psychological dimensions
Speaking about the Asian Junior Championship match against Australia, Wang Yudong said that the gap between the two teams is not as big as imagined. "We definitely have no problem if we play normally what our training should be." He analyzed. However, in the actual game, due to the psychological level, they didn't fully play the level in training, and probably only played 60 or 70% of their strength. He believes that the gap between the two teams is not mainly on the technical level, but on the psychological level. "We need to be more confident and calm to face the game." He summarized. This experience has made him deeply realize the importance of mental quality in the game, and has also pointed out the direction for his future growth.
