In the recently concluded Europa League, the performances of Japanese and Korean players in Europe were as impressive as the wind and rain. Endo's deadly strike helped Stuttgart to survive relegation, while Celtic of the Scottish Premier League, which has many Japanese players, won the league title. Asian soccer's leading player Sun Xingyu fought bravely in the battle for the English Premier League Golden Boot, and well-known soccer commentator Huang Jianxiang also expressed his insights.
I had watched the Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley game with great anticipation for Son to break the record and win the Premier League Golden Boot. This is not only a historic breakthrough, but also the pride of East Asian soccer. As a Chinese soccer fan, witnessing the heroic performance of a Korean player in the EPL, mixed emotions welled up in my heart: both joy and sadness.
Joyfully, as yellow East Asians, we share the same physical conditions and the fact that players from neighboring countries have been able to produce such brilliant results is undoubtedly proof that our genetics are just as good and that we are fully capable of succeeding in soccer! However, the rise of Japanese and South Korean players in the Euroleague, especially the remarkable performance of Son, is in stark contrast to the struggles of our players at the level of the game.
Although envy and jealousy are commonplace, deep down there is no hatred, only respect.
