With the 2023 season of the Chinese Super League coming to an end, the Harbour Team locked up the title in advance, ending the suspense and announcing the shattering of Taishan's dream of winning the title. Although Taishan finished as early runners-up with a decent result, its performance has dropped rather than risen compared to last year. Last year, Tarzan at least lasted until the final round of the season, but this year, they went out early, with a gap of 5 points with the seaport. If it wasn't for the occasional slip-up by the harbor, it would have been difficult for Taishan to make a comeback in the middle and late seasons. If Tarzan wants to maintain their competitiveness, they need to make some changes to their lineup.
Taishan's pains don't stop there, not only have they suffered damage to their squad, but they have also lost the soul of the team. The club originally planned to hold a farewell ceremony for Fellaini at the end of the season, but this was interpreted as a hint of Fellaini's farewell to Taishan or the Chinese Super League. But the plot took a sharp turn in 24 hours, and on the afternoon of November 3, Choi Kang-hee not only confirmed Fellaini's farewell match, but also thanked him for his hard work at the press conference between Taishan and Henan.
However, Choi also revealed that the farewell match not only marks Fellaini's farewell to the CSL, but also his decision to retire. Fellaini will be the first foreigner to retire from the CSL in 2023. It is sad to see such a good player leave the game. 34-year-old Fellaini made his debut in uniform on Belgium's Standard Day before moving to the Premier League, playing for Everton and Manchester United, the latter of which provided him with a stage for growth, helping him win the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League.
At international level, Fellaini has played for the Belgian national team at all levels, making his national team debut in 2007. To date, he has made 87 appearances and contributed 18 goals. He helped the Belgian national team win the third place in the 2018 World Cup.
Since joining Taishan, Fellaini has been fully committed to training and playing. He spent five seasons at Taishan, winning four titles: the 2021 Chinese Super League title and three consecutive FA Cup titles from 2020 to 2022. Fellaini became one of the most outstanding foreigners in the history of Taishan and was loved by the fans.
