With the 2023 Chinese Super League season coming to an end, the Harbour Team locked up the title in advance, ending the suspense of the title race, which also means that Taishan Team ended their title race in advance. Although Taishan's early second-place finish is not a bad result, their performance has taken a significant step back compared to last year. While last year they were at least able to hang on until the final round, this season they went out early, five points adrift of Seaport. Had it not been for Harbour's mistakes in the game, Taishan feared that they would not even have a chance to win the title 3-5 rounds earlier. In order to stay competitive, Taishan is in dire need of optimizing their lineup.
Not only have T&T lost something from their squad, but their number one centerpiece has also left the team. The club had announced that it would hold a farewell ceremony for Fellaini in the league finale. But it was widely believed that this might just be a sign of his departure from Taishan or the Chinese Super League. However, unexpectedly, just 24 hours later, the plot was reversed. at 3pm on November 3, during the press conference of Taishan against Henan, Choi Kang-hee confirmed Fellaini's farewell match and expressed his gratitude to him for his hard work and dedication.
Nonetheless, Choi Kang-hee also expressed his regrets, noting that this farewell match not only marked Fellaini's farewell to the CSL, but also his decision to retire. Choi Kang-hee revealed that he respected Fellaini's wish to retire and he became the first foreigner to retire from the CSL in 2023. It is a shame to see such a talented player leave the game. 34-year-old Fellaini made his debut with Belgian giants Standard Day before moving to the Premier League, playing for Everton and Manchester United. Manchester United became the stage for Fellaini's rapid growth, where he won the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League with the team.
At international level, Fellaini has played for the Belgian national team at all levels and made his national team debut in 2007. To date, he has made 87 appearances for the national team, contributing 18 goals. He helped the Belgian national team finish third at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Since joining Taishan, Fellaini has devoted himself to training and playing. In his five seasons with Taishan, he helped the team win four titles, including the 2021 Chinese Super League title and three consecutive FA Cup titles from 2020 to 2022. Fellaini became one of the most outstanding foreign players in the history of Taishan and was loved by the fans.
