A high-profile feature film in the midst of soccer's anti-corruption storm has revealed the hidden past of the tail end of the 2015 Chinese League One. Lai Fei, the former Shenzhen player, whose name shone at the gala. He is not a soccer giant, but the trajectory of his life is fascinating. He has been out of the public eye for a long time, but has returned as a prisoner.
A large sum of money, originating from a former brother.
Lai Fei is the only player to appear in an anti-corruption movie. on the eve of the 2015 season finale, Hebei Huaxia Happiness contacted Lai Fei through his assistant coach Zheng Bin, offering him a huge sum of 6 million yuan with the intention of buying out their rivals. Lai Fei secretly swallowed the money, and Shenzhen managed to send Hebei Huaxia Happiness to the Chinese Super League despite being defeated by their rivals. To him, it seemed like the perfect deal. However, as the truth came out, Lai Fei's career became a target for a while.
In fact, Li Fei was once one of soccer's rising stars, born in 1983 in Wuhan, Hubei province, he played in the National Youth League with the team at the age of 16, and then joined the first team after being introduced by Shenzhen, where he made his professional debut in 2003, and made his mark against Shandong Luneng. Despite his late start, Li Fei became the centerpiece of Shenzhen's midfield in the 2005 AFC Champions League group stage with his outstanding performances.
Lai Fei's soccer career has not been a smooth ride. He played with Zheng Bin, the most well-known Wuhan player on the Shenzhen team, and jokingly said in an interview, "In 2003, my hometown fans probably only knew that the Wuhan player on the Shenzhen team was Zheng Bin." However, it was Zheng Bin who handed over the huge sum of 6 million yuan to Lai Fei, which ultimately pushed him into the abyss.
In his first year in the Chinese Super League, Li Fei didn't get much of a chance, but won the league title with the team. 2011 saw Shenzhen relegated for the first time, and Li Fei followed the team to the top flight. 2009 and 2010 seasons, he made 25 and 24 appearances respectively, with 1 and 2 goals, and became a pillar of the team's midfield.
In the 2011 season, Shenzhen invited the famous coach Troussier, but Li Fei lost his starting position. After a dispute with the coach, he moved to Chongqing FC and became the team captain. However, Li Fei's journey to Chongqing did not go well, and after the team was disbanded, he returned to Shenzhen. During his time with Shenzhen, he saw the team go from the bottom to the top, but was also sent down to the reserve team in the 2017 season on suspicion of bribery.
In the 2018 season, Shenzhen had an unfavorable start, and when Ri Fei was asked if he would return to the first team, coach Carlo responded, "Everything must be done in the overall interest of the team." Thus, Li Fei said goodbye to professional soccer in the 2017 season. Now, the Shenzhen team succeeded in the Super League, but he has been away from the field.
Lai Fei has had a controversial career, but without his criminal behavior, he could have at least become a famous soccer player in Shenzhen. Now, at the age of 40, Lai Fei has ruined his future. His experience reaffirms the old adage: if you want to be known, unless you do nothing!
