On April 14, the sixth round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) was in full swing, with Shanghai Seaport narrowly defeating Shandong Taishan 4-3 at home. In this match, a special figure attracted a lot of attention - 34-year-old Xie Lijun, who became the first female referee in the history of China's top men's professional soccer league. Talking about the future, Xie Lijun revealed that her next goal is to enforce the men's soccer championship.
Xie Lijun, a native of Bazhong, Sichuan, was born in 1989, the same age as Zhang Linlian, the captain of Shanghai Port in the Chinese Super League. Today, she is not only a yoga, soccer and volleyball teacher at the School of Physical Education and Sports at Sichuan University's Jinjiang College, but also a soccer legend who has gone from raising the side flag for the first time in December 2009 to joining the international referee enforcement camp in 2019.
It is worth mentioning that Xie Lijun did not engage in professional soccer before joining soccer law enforcement. She confessed that she had majored in track and field and was spotted by a soccer teacher at the Sichuan College of Arts and Sciences for her excellent running form and physical condition.
On the evening of the 14th, Xie Lijun in the Super League Shanghai-Lu battle as a referee, with the 2022 Men's World Cup final referee camp, in February this year, as the 18th Men's Asian Cup final "Golden Whistle" Ma Ning on the same stage. Ma Ning is not only Xie Lijun's friend, but also her mentor. Last July, Xie Lijun in Manning and other industry experts under the guidance of the ninth Women's Soccer World Cup referee camp fully prepared.
Looking ahead, Tse Lijun said she will work to promote female referees in the enforcement of men's soccer matches. She revealed that she has set the 2027 Women's World Cup as her immediate goal and plans to work out in the Asian men's soccer league after enforcing the men's professional league.
