On Monday, September 18, 2023, a piece of Chinese soccer news sent shockwaves through countless hearts. A player's knee, surprisingly, became the focus of emotion! It was a familiar figure, Kwon Kyung-won, who had paid his respects to Chinese fans by kneeling the moment he left the Chinese Super League. And now, another Chinese player, in a very different gesture, knelt to the fans - in order to apologize.
The map of Chinese soccer consists of four levels of leagues: the Chinese Super League, the Chinese League A, the Chinese League B and the Chinese Championship. While the finals of Group AB of the Chinese Champions League are in full swing, Shaanxi Chang'an United FC's performance in Group B is worrying. With only one draw and two defeats in their first three matches in the finals, the situation is not promising in the face of the upcoming promotion test.
Under such pressure, Shaanxi fans were overwhelmed with disappointment. Right after the team's 0-1 home defeat against Guangzhou Shadow Leopard, captain Ding Jie's knee was not only an acknowledgement of the loss, but also a deep apology to the fans. This knee, not only won the applause, but also won the respect.
After the game, Ding Jie vocalized on social media, "No one forced me to kneel down, I'm just sad because of the loss, I hope the fans continue to support us." This scene gives a sense of the rare bloodlust in Chinese soccer.
Looking back at Chinese soccer over the past few years, poor performance seems to have become the norm. The lack of player level and the lack of bloodlust make every loss seem extra heavy. However, in the lower leagues, we have seen the return of this bloodlust. If this spirit can inspire Shaanxi soccer and Chinese soccer as a whole, then all this hard work will be especially worthwhile.
