The year 2022 is both a journey of ups and downs and a profound self-reflection for Chinese soccer. At the beginning, the stage of the Asian Women's Cup, China's women's soccer team rose in adversity, Shui-Qingxia led the team through thick and thin, sixteen years later again won the championship, the ninth time to win the Asian Cup trophy, not only wrote the legend, but also won back the long-lost glory.
In contrast, the Chinese men's soccer team is in a very different situation. At the beginning of the year in the World Cup qualifiers, they unexpectedly lost to Vietnam, which has never lost, and during the National Day, they said goodbye to the World Cup stage in advance, leaving an embarrassing record.
Nonetheless, the players were able to give their full attention to the league campaign.
If we look back a few years ago, focusing on the league and fighting for a spot in the AFC Champions League was not out of reach for Chinese soccer. As Guangzhou Evergrande demonstrated, at their peak, they had won the Asian Championship twice in three years, and the glory of the Chinese Super League was instantaneous. However, "there is no place like home". With the spread of epidemics, the FA's policy blunders, the fading enthusiasm of parent clubs, and the financial woes of some clubs, the drawbacks of Chinese soccer's golden era are becoming apparent, and there is a lack of successor power.
Guangzhou Evergrande, for example, a team founded in 2010, has constructed a formidable team with huge investment from Xu Jiayin, who brought in international stars such as Zheng Zhi, Gao Lin and Feng Ming, and purchased Brazilian foreigners for a record transfer fee. They made history in the league by beating Shandong Taishan the following year. After the departure of Li Zhangzhu, Evergrande, coached by Lippi and Scolari, won the Asian Championship twice in three years, accomplishing a legend. Topping the Chinese Super League for seven consecutive times, Evergrande created a new dynasty comparable to Dalian Shide's eight championships.
However, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river", with the parent company's financial problems, the departure of foreign aid, the loss of strong reinforcements, Evergrande soccer school and the lack of maturity of the young players, they encountered unprecedented challenges in this season's Chinese Super League.
The dismissal of Liu Zhiyu and the return of Zheng Zhi and other meritorious players could not save the team's decline. The young players were physically and mentally exhausted from the consecutive losses, and Zheng Zhi had to call on veterans such as Huang Bowen, Zhang Chenglin, and Hao Junmin again, expecting them to be able to save the day. However, facing the powerful foreign aid, Guangzhou team is still weak and difficult to get out of the predicament.
If they are unlucky enough to be relegated this season, it will undoubtedly be a heavy blow to Chinese soccer. This champion team that has created new legends, its honor hall displays the glory of winning the Asian Championship twice. If such a team is relegated, what will the outside world say? Wouldn't Chinese soccer be reduced to a laughing stock? Where is the face of the Football Association?
Recalling Zheng Zhi's acceptance speech on December 7, 2013, when he was awarded Asian Footballer of the Year, it is still poignant. He said, "I have to thank my country, my club, and first of all, my coach and teammates. Soccer is a team project, without them, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Today, it is meaningful to revisit Zheng Zhi's acceptance speech. Zheng Zhi, a player full of emotions. After Liu Zhiyu's dismissal, he could have chosen to stay away from the strife and live a comfortable life in college. But he chose to come back.
Now that the team is in a relegation crisis, Zheng Zhi will probably be draped over the team himself. You know, he is already 42 years old! For the Guangzhou team, he risked injury and fought until the last moment. This is so sad!
Chi, kudos to you!
