Shen Mengyu in the competition, a brave attempt on the road to stay in the ocean.
Setting foot in a foreign country, 21-year-old Shen Mengyu harbored both longing and deep apprehension. However, a year later, her efforts were rewarded.
On her debut at home, she helped Celtic to a double title and contributed the winning shot in the final.
How to quickly integrate into overseas tournaments and teams? In the face of reporters, Shen Mengyu bluntly: "Ask if you don't understand, don't be shy, be bold."
She is looking forward to the future. Not only does she want to help her team win the league title, but she also dreams of one day wearing the national team's uniform and competing on the world stage.
Source: Raging News
Shen Mengyu's first touch was perfect.
The carefully prepared celebratory gesture was "pounced" by his teammates before he could perform it.
The Scottish Cup Final at the end of May saw Celtic Ladies come back from Glasgow City Ladies 3-2 to win the title for the first time in the team's history.
Shen Mengyu broke the deadlock for her team in the opening 18 minutes, and she wanted to celebrate after the goal, but failed to do so.
She had planned to mimic the celebrations of young players after scoring a goal, but was "tackled" by her teammates before the celebration could begin.
Teammates pinned Shen Mengyu down to celebrate her goal.
"It was a really tough win. You scored one on both sides, I scored one on both sides, and we were one man short (Celtic were sent off in the 39th minute)." Shen Mengyu said after the match.
"We were all very excited when we came down and called our teammates 'superstar' to each other. After the game, the bus drove straight back to the park where there was an end of season party for us and a small celebration."
Shen Mengyu holds the Scottish Cup winner's trophy.
Leave no stone unturned, pursue the limit
As well as winning the Scottish Cup, Celtic Ladies also collected the League Cup this season to make it a double.
Looking back on this season's road to stay in the ocean, Shen Mengyu said the joy of harvesting was too much for her to contain.
"To be honest, I didn't think too much about it (when I first started my stay), and it does feel like a bit of a surprise now that I've got these two titles."
"Competitive sports, since you're in the sport, it's definitely about trying to win games and get championships. So I think for us to finally get the championship, it's kind of a successful season for me."
This season, Shen Mengyu contributed 5 goals and 10 assists as a midfielder, but she believes that she still has a lot of room for improvement in the future.
"There's still a lot that can be done better, if we have midfielders in our team scoring eight goals, or even strikers scoring 40 goals in a season, we still have a big gap."
"I want to score more goals next season as well, and I fitted in relatively well in the first season. But next season will be a different team because some of my teammates are out of contract and there will be new players joining the team, so it's a new start again next season and I hope I can come up with a satisfactory answer sheet."
According to Celtic's plan, they will regroup at the beginning of July, so Shen Mengyu can take a short break and finally have some time to explore the UK, "Haven't been to Liverpool and Manchester yet, would like to go and see more."
As for longer-term planning, Shen Mengyu still intends to let nature take its course: "In fact, there is no set a ceiling for themselves, such as to stay in the ocean for how many years, or have to look at the current situation."
Shen Mengyu has been fully integrated into the overseas leagues.
Learning to fit in is also a form of growth
With amazing play in her first year of stay, Shen Mengyu's performance on the field was due to her quick integration into the life of stay.
The language barrier, the unfamiliarity of the living environment, the loneliness of being away from family and friends at home ...... These are the challenges that players staying in the ocean have to face, and Shen Mengyu is no exception.
"I actually think that when you arrive in an unfamiliar environment, there are definitely difficulties, but you can also gain a lot in the midst of that difficulty."
"If you don't visualize it as something very difficult, but rather enjoy and digest the difficult process, then when you get through that time, you will have a sense of satisfaction." Shen Mengyu told reporters.
In terms of language barrier, Shen Mengyu attended an English class to improve, and now her communication with her teammates and coaches has been much smoother. In our spare time, we also make plans to go on trips and have dinners together.
Recalling such a process of getting through the adaptation period, Shen Mengyu did not forget to thank the help from all sides: "In fact, I was quite worried before staying in the ocean, like my friends and teammates will give me a lot of advice and ideas, gave me a lot of love."
"I was also lucky at the start at Celtic to have a couple of players who looked after me, and they were right when they said that it's really don't be shy, if you don't know something, ask, if you don't know something, because we're all happy to help you with your answers and happy to listen to your difficulties, so really don't be shy, be bold."
Shen Mengyu tries kayaking.
In the future, wear our women's soccer jersey
Talking about her initial decision to go out to sea and stay in the ocean, Shen Mengyu said her goal was simple.
"Thought it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot, to get out of the comfort zone I've been in, to see what soccer is like out there, and to learn more about the culture of soccer abroad."
"I was also shown footage of their (Celtic Women's) competitions at the time and thought the physicality, the pace of the game was okay here. Relatively speaking physical confrontation is not my strength and that's where I want to come here to improve."
Coming to Europe, she did feel a different kind of soccer: "Relatively more wide-open a little bit, or perhaps because our team has a few front players who are indeed very fast, so sometimes our counterattacks are a little more direct."
However, the current coach of the Celtic women's soccer team from Spain, the playing style emphasizes the control of the ball, which is similar to Shen Mengyu in the domestic performance of the Shanghai women's soccer team.
"At first maybe I was too focused on the fact that I had to pass accurately and was more hesitant and torn and didn't quite know what they wanted. Now, if the cooperation has a certain foundation, relatively more tacit understanding." Shen Mengyu said.
Shen Mengyu celebrates our women's soccer team's Asian Cup win.
Now after assisting the Celtics in winning two championship trophies, Shen Mengyu is ready to pursue more goals with even more vigor.
"Because we've won two cups at Sharon, next season I hope to win three - plus the league." She told reporters.
In addition, she has a bigger dream, that is, one day, wearing the national team honor of China's women's football uniform.
China's women's soccer team won the Asian Cup in February this year, Shen Mengyu watched every game of China's women's soccer team, "sisters are very good, see them play competition I am also very excited."
"When I'm having a bad race experience, I don't know why, but I have them in my mind and I just feel like I have to push harder and keep going, and that's how my sisters have influenced me."
"I expect that if I have the opportunity after that, based on my continuous efforts, I will be able to wear the national team's jersey one day in the future and compete on the world stage."
