On May 17, the Soviet Premier League women's soccer team was in full swing, and in the 26th round of the tournament, Shen Mengyu made her debut and helped Celtic women's soccer team win 5-0 at home with two exquisite assists. In the interview session of China New Sports, she talked about her experience of staying abroad and her outlook for the future.
--You once wrote at the moment of winning the championship, "Thanks for the 132 days of hard work away from home." Is there a lot of hard work behind it?
Loneliness and homesickness often haunt me in a foreign country. Because of the time difference, we could only video with our family and friends at regular intervals, and I was quite depressed in those days. At home, everyone treated me like a little sister and gave me a lot of care. However, when I came abroad, everything had to start all over again, and the unfamiliar environment made me feel lost. Without the company of family and friends, I had to face all the difficulties by myself. During my stay abroad, I had problems with my mindset and was not in good shape. Being strict with myself, I would feel extremely frustrated when I made mistakes on the field. Later, I realized that excessive pursuit of perfection would affect my play, so I learned to take it easy on the field. The encouragement of my teammates and the comfort of my head coach helped me to regroup, which is definitely a kind of growth.
--What other memorable experiences have you had on your way to stay in the world?
I remember a game we played at the Park, home of the Celtic men's soccer team, as one of the memorable moments of my life. A month before the game we started the countdown. Previously we had been playing out of town and had never played at the Park. When we heard that only one match would be played at this stadium this year, we all felt cherished and looked forward to it. The stadium was huge and held a large number of fans. On that day of the game, we had 4,000 to 5,000 spectators, and the scene was enthusiastic. The fans were banging drums and laughing, which is something we have never experienced in our normal matches.
-What was it like to win the League Cup with Celtic Ladies? What did it mean to you?
The final came and we were in a position to win. When it came time to actually hold the championship trophy, I felt incredible. At that moment, it was as if I was telling myself, "I really did it." After the game, we celebrated with our fans by doing our signature dance, and it was a wonderful feeling. After a short stay in the world, this championship is a great start for me and motivates me to win more matches.
--Do you have a favorite player?
I especially like Modric, and when I was a kid I also liked to watch Wu Lei play soccer. At that time he was still in the Shanghai East Asia team, I think he is very powerful, scoring countless goals, you can always see his figure on the field, he is my role model. I also admire his courage to stay in the ocean, which requires a lot of courage.
--What were the circumstances that led to your decision to stay abroad? What made you take this brave step?
The idea of staying at home has been in my mind for a long time, and Celtic have given me the opportunity to try it out. Before going abroad, I had a discussion with my Shanghai teammates about the difference between going abroad and playing at home, carefully analyzing the pros and cons. They told me to be young and dare to try. However, I don't think staying abroad is for everyone, and you must be clear about your goals before making a decision. For me, physical confrontation is an area where I am lacking, and the league here is very intense, so I want to come and try to make up for this shortcoming.
--What are your expectations and plans for the future?
Shen Mengyu: Who doesn't want to wear "China Red"? I hope I can put on the women's national soccer team's robe on the field to show elegance. However, now I still have a certain gap with my sisters, the conditions for the realization of this wish is to continue to improve themselves, continue to work hard!
