On May 27th, Beijing time, Oceania's soccer feast reached its climax with the final of the Champions League. Chinese player Zhou Tong, a midfielder in his thirties, played for New Zealand's giants Auckland City and beat Suva 4-2 to win the championship and lock up a place in the Club World Cup. Zhou Tong, a veteran player, has become the new hope of Chinese men's football, and his success has not only realized his personal dream, but also set a new benchmark for Chinese soccer.
Zhou Tong has played for Dalian Albin, Tianjin Teda, Wuhan and Tianjin Jinmen Tigers, with his finest moment being the 2018 Chinese League Championship. However, in the 2023 winter transfer window, the 33-year-old Zhou Tong chose to move away from the Chinese Super League and started a new journey by joining Auckland City as a free agent. Auckland City, the mecca of New Zealand soccer, has won the New Zealand Football Championship regular season title 12 times, won the title nine times, dominated Oceania 10 times and won the New Zealand Super Cup five times. Zhou Tong's arrival brings not only the dream of winning the championship, but also the ambition to play the Club World Cup. In New Zealand, Zhou Tong gained the love of the fans. He not only visited the training base of the New Zealand national soccer team, but also expressed his support for the national team with the Auckland City team. It is obvious that Zhou Tong's fast adaptation and outstanding ability in Auckland City made him an indispensable member of the team.
In the Oceania Champions League semi-final, Zhou Tong came on as a substitute and came close with a long-range shot. In the end, Auckland City drew 2-2 and progressed to the final via penalty shootout and 7-6 on aggregate. Zhou Tong was again a substitute in the final, but his 86th minute appearance was crucial. Auckland City led 2-0 at half-time, but midfield centerpiece Garriga was red-carded in the 60th minute to send the sides into extra time. In the 99th minute, with 10 men, Auckland City sealed a 4-2 victory with two second-half goals to win the title and qualify for the Club World Cup. Holding a shiny medal, Zhou Tong was all smiles as he celebrated the victory with his teammates. As for Zhou Tong's path to study abroad, some fans believe his choices outweighed his efforts. Despite Zhou Tong's gains in honors, his career has not been without effort. At the ripe old age of 33, Zhou Tong has managed to maintain excellent competitive form, which is more effort than many Chinese Super League players. In New Zealand, Zhou Tong felt the pure soccer atmosphere and found his original intention of playing soccer. He also admired Wu Lei's courage to break into La Liga alone.
