On the night sky of February 11, the Chinese women's soccer team wrote a legend on the stage of the Asian Cup final. Facing a 2-goal deficit, they were like a phoenix rising from the ashes, scoring three goals in a row to complete a stunning comeback and beat South Korea 3-2 to be crowned the champion. Recently, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) praised Zhang Linyan, one of the creators of the miracle of the comeback, on its official platform, saying that her dream had finally come true and that she had become a shining star in the Asian football world.
The AFC emphasized that Zhang Linyan was one of the contributors to the Chinese women's football team winning the Asian Cup trophy. She came on as a substitute in the match and contributed the crucial goal that was the key to the team's turnaround. The article mentions that since 2006, the Chinese women's soccer team has been dreaming of the Asian Championship trophy. As the youngest player under Coach Shui Qingxia, Zhang Linyan played such a key role in such a big game that one can't help but speculate that her success may have been predestined for a long time.
The AFC looks back on Zhang Linyan's teenage years, when, at the age of 12, she let slip in an interview that "I want to lead Chinese women's soccer to the glory of Sun Wen's era!" She scored 13 goals in 12 games in the U14 division championships, and then jumped into the U16 women's national team. However, her path to soccer was not a straight one.
At the age of 17, shortly after scoring a goal in the U20 Women's World Cup, Zhang Linyan suffered a serious injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee and was out for nearly a year. After undergoing a major surgery in Germany, she was 295 days removed from the field. Regretting missing the Tokyo Olympics, she was recalled to the national team by coach Shui Qingxia as she prepared for the 2022 Women's Asian Cup. Facing the unfavorable situation of being 0-2 down at half-time of the final, Zhang Linyan firmly said, "Even though we conceded two goals in the first half, we always believed that we could turn the situation around, and eventually we did!"
The AFC also revealed that although Zhang Linyan helped China's women's soccer team win the title, what is lesser known is her connection with David Beckham. After the win, Beckham congratulated her on his personal social media platforms and wrote: "Lin Yan, I remember we met in 2013. It's fantastic that you have been rewarded for your hard work and realized your dream. Congrats again for winning the title." Zhang Linyan also replied with excitement, "Wow, thank you Uncle Bei for remembering me, I treasure the signed soccer ball you gave me, and I will continue to work hard!"
Nowadays, Zhang Linyan has not only treasured Beckham's autographed soccer ball, but also harvested the Asian Championship medals and the precious memories of scoring goals in the finals, and has grown up to be the hottest new star in Asia. (DD)
