Wu Lei (1979-), Chinese footballer
The bright star of the Chinese soccer world, his journey to La Liga is not only a victory of self-challenge, but also a silent encouragement for domestic female soccer players to stick to their dreams.
When the dawn of August 12 first light, Wu Lei officially bid farewell to the La Liga, he used the dual language of Chinese and Spanish on social media to bid farewell to the fans of the Spaniards. Although his stay in the ocean career drew to a close, but the footprints in La Liga has become the eternal mark of his name. His story, like a star, illuminates the way forward for Chinese players with dreams of staying abroad, such as Tang Jiali, Shen Mengyu and Wang Frost.
"Dear 'Parrots' - As the moment of departure creeps up on us, my heart is full of sadness. These days, I repeatedly recall the moment I stepped into the team three years ago, and how we broke through to break into the UEFA Cup, to the goals against Barcelona, relegation and promotion, and witnessing Real Madrid's title win at the Bernabeu, all of which seems like yesterday, both dreamy and real." Wu Lei marveled at the passage of time, and one of his most memorable interactions with the fans was undoubtedly when they lifted him high from the field after his team won the UEFA Cup.
On the days of organizing his bags for his return home, Wu Lei felt the blessings of the fans in the streets, restaurants and supermarkets of Barcelona. The Chinese player said in his farewell: "From the first day I came here, I felt the love and passion of the fans, this friendship I will always remember. Spaniards, will always be the unchanging home team in my heart, I will always be a member of the Parrot Army."
Wu Lei also made a special trip to the team base to say goodbye to his teammates and staff. He walked into the home stadium of Espanyol with the Chinese Golden Ball trophy in his hand and looked around the stadium, which had witnessed his joys and sorrows. In the end, he left the trophy at the Espanyol club. In an interview with the club, Wu Lei summarized his more than 1,200 days in La Liga, with laughter and tears, but most importantly he gained valuable experience.
As the countdown to his homecoming begins, Wu Lei is set to return to the Chinese Super League for Shanghai Seaports in September. Although his stay in China has come to an end, his story of struggle will continue to inspire Chinese players who follow their dreams. Shanghai women's soccer striker Tang Jiali, after finishing her stay at English Premier League's Tottenham Hotspur, recently joined Spanish women's soccer club CFF Madrid, becoming the first Chinese women's soccer player to land in La Liga. She retweeted the news of Wu Lei's return on social media and said, "You are a legend, you have proved yourself. I'm now coming to Spain to take your baton, and I hope we can plant the flag even farther and pass on the experience of staying in the ocean for Chinese women's soccer. The dream remains the same and the future is bright."
Shen Mengyu, also from Shanghai, a former Shanghai women's soccer player who now plays for Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, also sent her best wishes to Wu Lei: "Welcome home Lei! From the beginning of your stay in the ocean, you are the 'hope of the whole village', you have never stopped, and you have always been a role model for me to learn from. I also want to be like you, to go farther and see a brighter light. I wish you all the best and all the best!" Shen Mengyu is a talented midfielder who, despite having suffered setbacks with the national youth team, chose to stay abroad to improve herself, and is expected to be a promising prospect as an organized midfielder for the Chinese women's football team in the future.
Shen Mengyu said in an interview: "I especially like Modric, I also like to watch Wu Lei play soccer when I was a child, when he was still in Shanghai Dongya period. I felt that Wu Lei was so powerful, scored a lot of goals, and I felt that he was glowing on the field, and the focus on the field was always on him, and he was a role model to learn from. I also admire him for making the decision to stay in the ocean, which requires a lot of courage."
Like Wu Lei, Wang Frost is an unrivaled player in the Chinese women's professional soccer league. Despite being more comfortable playing domestically, she recently chose to stay overseas again. The Chinese women's soccer team officially released a video recording Wang Frost saying goodbye to her teammates. She officially joined Louisville Athletic Club of the NWSL in the United States, starting her third overseas soccer tour. It is reported that Wang Frost will wear the No. 77 gown, and both sides signed until the end of 2023.
Wu Lei's return marks the dynamic clearing of Chinese men's soccer players in Europe's top five leagues. However, Chinese women's soccer girls have now taken over the banner of staying in the ocean, including Wang Frost, Tang Jiali, Shen Mengyu, etc. Currently there are eight Chinese women's soccer girls staying in the European and American leagues. Wu Lei's outstanding performance in La Liga is undoubtedly an incentive for Chinese women's international soccer players to insist on staying in the ocean, and the ups and downs he encountered also provide valuable reference and inspiration for those who come after him.
