The road back to China was not a straight one, and Yan Xinyu was not able to join Shenhua's starting lineup as expected. He spent several years in the reserve team and became a veteran. Although in 2018 and 2019, he wore the uniform of Shenhua many times, participated in the U23 League and the reserve team, but never crossed the threshold of the first team.
In 2020, Yan Xinyu decided to leave the team to join the First Division team Nantong Zhiyun. This is the stage for him to prove himself, but he did not win the reputation of Zhiyun. After that, Yan Xinyu moved to the Inner Mongolia grass on the fly, Shaoxing Shangyu Yilong and other teams in the first and second, but has never been able to stabilize his position.
However, Yan Xinyu's fate seems to be quite lucky. He happened to catch up with the golden dollar soccer of the Chinese Super League and the dividends of the new U23 policy. Even in the reserve team, his annual salary is stable at about a million, which is a considerable income in today's Chinese Super League players.
Last season, Yan Xinyu played for Central B team Hubei Young Stars and scored in the AFC Cup. However, at the end of the season, he did not get the club to renew his contract. At the age of 29, Yan Xinyu had to choose to end his career.
Yan Xinyu, who has been involved in soccer training since his childhood, has not pursued his studies and lacks other skills, making it difficult for him to find an ideal job in the face of the economic winter. He had no choice but to take to the streets and sell fried rice at a stall to make ends meet.
Many fans were shocked by the transformation of professional players into street vendors. At the same time, this phenomenon also triggered a profound reflection on the development model of Chinese soccer. To some extent, Yan Xinyu's story is not an isolated case, but epitomizes the shortcomings of the Chinese soccer system.
Nonetheless, we can't help but admire Yan Xinyu for his resilience and survival wisdom in the face of adversity. Not all players who earn millions of dollars a year can make such a decision. As a 95-year-old, he chose to stand on his own two feet rather than wait for opportunities, and this courage deserves everyone's praise.
At the same time, Yan Xinyu's experience is also a wake-up call for young players. While chasing the dream of soccer, they should save for a rainy day and plan for the future career path. The professional soccer career is short, but the road of life is still long.
