Starlight shines on Dalian people, see the spirit of the first battle victory! Dalian internationals cheered from the stands and won!
Photo: Dalian Professional Football Club
The 2023 Chinese Super League kicked off on the evening of April 15, with Dalian Internationals hosting Nantong Zhiyun in a victory. More than 20 Dalian International players and their families were invited to the side stage of the podium. The slogan "Dalian International Players and Dalian People Showcase" in big white letters on the blue background was very eye-catching, witnessing the story of the new season in the soccer city.
Dalian is a world-famous soccer city. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, more than 230 male and female soccer players have come out of Dalian. After three years of fighting against the epidemic, the Chinese Super League was finally held normally. Dalian Professional Football Club and Dalian Football Fans Association jointly organized a series of "Starlight Shining Dalian People" interactive activities, inviting celebrities from all walks of life to watch the matches on site. The invited celebrities were Gai Zengchen, Sun Xianlu, Han Wenhai, Wei Yimin, Chen Dong, Wang Peng, Zhang Yaokun, Zou Jie, Yu Hongqi, Wang Hongyan, Fan Tingting and so on.
While watching the game, the international players were full of interest and talked about their feelings. 68-year-old Gai Zengchen is one of the famous "Four Greats of the Gai Family". He has been working as a coach in Portugal for the past seven years. He believes that the revitalization of Dalian soccer needs a process, as long as not discouraged, sooner or later will return to the peak.
In 1989, international player Sun Xianlu was selected for the Chinese national soccer team for the 1990 World Cup Asian qualifiers. He also participated in the Dalian People's Head Coach Conference as a judge. He credited Xie Hui's interim command as a key factor in the victory.
Han Wenhai is one of China's longest serving keepers and the starting keeper for Dalian Wanda's 55 game unbeaten streak. He thought the Dalianese keeper played steadily and very well in this game.
International player Wang Peng was full of praise for the atmosphere in the stands that day. He said that the loyal fans in the North and South Stands sang and shouted for 90 minutes, which was so infectious that it was like going back to his unforgettable glory days.
International player Chen Dong and his wife came to the international players' stand to cheer for the Dalian people. Chen Dong is the main goalkeeper of Dalian Shide. He said that Dalian Professional Football Club is the leader of Dalian soccer. We should organize the coaching team and players of Dalian Zhixing to observe the home games of Dalian people and learn the advanced experience of "big brother".
Women's soccer player Wang Hongyan believes that the club attaches importance to the team's cultural construction, the team up and down not only cohesion of power, but also in the heart of the fans.
The arrival of international players added a different kind of joy to the fans. During the halftime break, many fans flocked to the stands of the international players to take pictures. Fan Wang Guansheng is the chairman of the volunteer branch of Dalian Football Fans Association. He said it felt like a dream to be able to have zero distance contact and communicate with the international players.
Veteran fan Liu Kai has been following Dalian soccer for 30 years and has cheered for Wanda in the old stadium. He said that international players watching the game on the field is a reflection of the glorious history and great responsibility of Dalian soccer, and hoped that Dalian can make greater contributions to Chinese soccer.
It is understood that this season will continue to organize the "Starlight Shining Dalian people" series of activities. In addition to inviting international players to watch each game, we will also invite well-known people from all walks of life, such as the good people of Dalian, model workers, cultural celebrities, community leaders and so on. Interact with the team and fans to create a favorable atmosphere. Gui Bing, chairman of Dalian Sports Industry Group, said that these Dalian international players have fought for the country and added color to the city. We should not forget them, but respect them. By inviting them to watch matches to guide us, we should encourage the younger generation. I hope they can give advice to the club and help it to build and develop better. CFA Executive Committee member Zhang Jiashu said.
