Just what is the crux of Chinese soccer? Many soccer fans, when discussing this issue, tend to attribute it to the lack of soccer talent. It is true that there is a lack of strong players in China, especially those who can make a name for themselves in the top five leagues in Europe. However, Japanese and South Korean players are able to shine in the European leagues and even become top stars, can't we, as East Asians, do the same?
So why has our soccer failed to reach this height so far? Apart from failing to follow the conventional path of soccer development, it seems that we also lack some luck. The following example may illustrate some of the problems: in the past few years, there have been a lot of soccer geniuses in our soccer sector, such as Dong Fangzhuo, who joined Manchester United at a young age and was once regarded as the future star of Chinese soccer. In the Belgian league, he won the Golden Boot with his outstanding performance. After returning to Manchester United, he had outstanding performances in both the English Premier League and the Champions League, becoming the pride of Chinese soccer.
However, Dong's career took a sharp turn for the worse with a closed game. In preparation for the Olympics, he missed out on treatment, causing the injury to worsen. Despite scoring goals in the Olympics, the serious injury prevented him from ever returning to peak form. After his Manchester United career ended, he was unable to find his former self in the Chinese Super League, Europe and the Central League.
Examples similar to Dong Fangzhuo are not uncommon in our soccer world. Wang Chu, known as China's Little Bei, set a world record for turning the ball over and excelled in Ligue 1 with Metz. However, a serious injury cost him his future. After being injured at Metz, he was recalled to play in the National Games, only to suffer a serious injury in the warm-up match, causing Metz to release him from his contract.
Wang Chu has spent most of his career recovering from injuries. Despite his success in the Luxembourg league, injuries prevented him from gaining a foothold in the Europa League.In the 2018 season, he was recalled to the Chinese Super League by Beijing Renhe, but as a midfielder, it was difficult for him to take his place in the Premier League. Moreover, Wang Chu was not good at socializing, and his life consisted of sleeping and playing football. In the end, he failed to get much playing opportunities with Beijing Renhe, but won the FA Cup.
After leaving Beijing Renhe, Wang Chu returned to his hometown and joined Sichuan Jiuniu, where he played in the China B League. He quickly became the team's midfield centerpiece and captain, leading the team to a successful promotion to the Central League. Last season, Wang Chu performed well, starting 17 of 27 games for the team and scoring 4 goals.
Thanks to his outstanding performance in Jiuiu team, Wang Chu had the chance to return to the Chinese Super League this season. He was favored by another Chinese Super League team in Sichuan and Chengdu Rongcheng, and eventually joined Chengdu Rongcheng on a free. After four years, Wang Chu is back in the CSL. 32 years old, Wang Chu is more mature and steady, and his choice to return to the CSL at this time shows that he has not given up on himself, and hopes to show a better version of himself at a higher level of the game.
What do you expect from Wang Chu on this trip to the Chinese Super League? Do you think he can still be one of the best midfielders in China? Feel free to discuss with us in the comments section!
