In the long history of Chinese football, there is such a legend, his name is Wang Houjun. He is not only a hero on the pitch, but also a symbol of the times.
But on November 21, 2012, the football superstar left us forever, leaving behind endless nostalgia and deep grief. His death, like a sudden storm, shook the entire Chinese football community.
The death of the queen army is not only the end of an era, but also the end of a legend. But his spirit and legacy will be remembered forever. On this day full of sorrow, we can't help but ask: is that hero on the football field, his story, really over?
Wang Houjun's stature is not conspicuous among footballers, he is only 1.68 meters tall, and he does not have an advantage compared to other tall athletes on the field.
But it is this seemingly inconspicuous height that gives him a unique advantage on the field. His physical agility and speed are his greatest and make him a perfect fit for the winger.
In training and during games, Wang Houjun has always been able to weave his way between opposition players with ease, his feet are light and agile, and he has often broken through the defence before the opposing defenders can react.
His diminutive stature is dexterous in confrontations, often pulling off stunning breakthroughs and shots from unexpected angles and speeds. On the court, he is always so active, as if he is never tired.
The Queen's Army was very skilled. He has mastered a range of challenging soccer techniques, including quick changes of direction, short acceleration and precise shooting. These skills allow him to create a threat in the game and create a powerful impact on the opposition defence.
He has been able to demonstrate this high level of technical ability, both at home and on the international stage.
Especially in matches with other national teams, Wang Houjun can always seize key opportunities to score goals for the Chinese team.
In an important international match, when the game was deadlocked and neither side could break the deadlock, Wang Houjun received a precise pass, and he used his speed to quickly break through the opponent's defence and then score with an accurate shot.
This goal not only broke the balance of the game, but also laid the foundation for the Chinese team to finally win the game.
In the other match, the queen also showed his key ability. When the game entered the final stages and both sides desperately needed a point to secure victory, the queen was once again the team's savior.
In a quick counter-attack, he received a long ball from a team-mate, and with his excellent ball control skills and speed, he managed to get rid of the entanglement of defenders and finally calmly fired the ball into the opposition goal.
This goal not only boosted the morale of the whole team, but also made the Chinese fans present cheer.
Because of the breakthrough ability and scoring efficiency that Wang Houjun frequently displayed in the game, he was affectionately known as the "flying general" by the fans. This nickname not only represents his speed and agility on the field, but also symbolizes his important position in Chinese football and his great contribution to the team.
Although his football career was short, his mark on the pitch was profound and dazzling. In particular, his performance at the Asian Emerging Power Games has become a highlight of his career.
In this international competition, Wang Houjun showed extraordinary football talent, and his every touch and breakthrough was full of artistic and tactical value.
In this event, the performance of the Chinese team exceeded many people's expectations. As the heart of the team, the queen played a crucial role in the game.
Whenever the team encountered difficulties, the queen army always relied on her own ability to break the deadlock. He moves around the pitch like a peer, passing the ball and shooting with precision.
In the game against strong opponents, Wang Houjun showed his leadership charisma and game wisdom, not only scoring goals himself, but also assisting his teammates, which became the key to winning the game.
Especially against a team of highly skilled opponents, the Queen's performance was particularly impressive.
In that game, he not only completed a wonderful personal breakthrough, but also assisted his teammates to complete the goal at critical moments to help the Chinese team seal the victory. His performances have greatly boosted the morale of the team, and at the same time demonstrated the strength of Chinese football.
Wang Houjun's outstanding performance on the field won the Chinese team the second place in the Asian Emerging Power Games.
This achievement is not only a recognition of Wang Houjun's personal talent, but also a reflection of the improvement of the status of Chinese football on the international stage. His performance has attracted the attention of many international leaders and won respect and praise for Chinese football.
However, just as Queen's football career was in full swing, a series of injuries began to plague him.
As a professional athlete, long hours of high-intensity competition and training took a huge strain on his body.
Every sprint, every scramble on the football pitch can be a physical test. As time passed, injuries began to plague the queen's army frequently, and he had to take ** and rest frequently.
Although Wang Houjun has an incomparable love and dedication to football, his physical condition has become an insurmountable obstacle for him. After a series of ** and comeback attempts, Wang Houjun finally had to face the reality of retirement.
This is undoubtedly a huge blow for an athlete who loves football so much and has a brilliant record on the football field.
After retiring from football, the queen army did not leave the football stadium he loved so much. In 1994, with the wave of reform in Shanghai football, he returned to football with a new identity - becoming the coach of Shanghai Pudong.
With a passion for football and a desire to win, Wang Houjun began a new chapter in his coaching career. Under his leadership, the Shanghai Pudong team quickly showed significant progress and potential.
As a coach, Wang Houjun works in a very different way than he did as a player. He is no longer the one who directly controls the ball and attacks on the field, but observes, coaches and motivates the players from the sidelines.
His training is rigorous and productive, and he always identifies the potential and shortcomings of his players, and gives precise guidance and advice. Under his leadership, the team's technical and tactical level and overall coordination have improved significantly.
Under the careful guidance of Wang Houjun, the Shanghai Pudong team performed well in the second division. Their games are full of tactical discipline and team spirit, and every game shows the team's progress and the coach's care.
In the end, in a decisive match, Shanghai Pudong team won the game with excellent performance and tactical execution, successfully won the league championship, and thus promoted to the first B league.
This achievement is not only a testament to Wang Houjun's coaching ability, but also injects new vitality into the development of football in Shanghai and even in China.
However, over time, the long-term high-intensity work began to take a toll on the health of the queen's army. As a coach, he has little time to rest and often needs to video play, develop training plans and tactical arrangements.
This constant high pressure and busyness took a huge toll on his body. Although his love for football made him reluctant to slow down, his physical condition was quietly changing.
Eventually, a series of health problems began to emerge, the most serious of which was heart disease.
At first, Wang Houjun did not take these problems to heart, and still insisted on high-intensity work. But as the situation deteriorated, he had to face reality, start to reduce his workload, and accept **.
Despite this, he still tries his best to be involved in the management and training of the team, and is reluctant to leave the football he loves completely.
But as his heart condition worsened, Wang Houjun was forced to make the difficult decision to leave the field.
For him, this is not only another career change, but also a challenge to his identity as a footballer.
He had to take a step back from his football-filled life day and night and start focusing on his health issues.
On November 21, 2012, there was sad news in the Chinese football world: Wang Houjun, the former national team star and coach of the Shanghai Pudong team, died of illness at the age of 69. This news was like a bolt from the blue, shaking the entire Chinese football community.
Throughout his football career, both as a player and as a coach, Wang Houjun has shown extraordinary talent and a love for football. His death means that Chinese football has lost a great soul.
After learning of the news, the Chinese Football Association and the General Administration of Sports quickly issued a statement expressing deep condolences for the death of Wang Houjun and expressing high respect for his contributions to the Chinese football community.
On social ** and online forums, countless football fans also expressed their grief and remembrance for Wang Houjun, and they shared the wonderful moments of Wang Houjun before his death with words and **, recalling his demeanor on the football field.
At the end of November, the cold wind was bitter, and the funeral of the queen army was held in an atmosphere of grief.
Fan Zhiyi, a famous football player and "General Fan", was dressed in black mourning clothes, grief-stricken and tears rippled.
He was promoted and mentored by the Queen's Army and knew the importance of this mentor in his football career.
Now, the death of his mentor has left him grieved. At the funeral scene, Fan Zhiyi was grief-stricken, and tears soaked through his clothes, which was moving.
Xu Genbao, the head of the Football Association's selection team, was also grieved. He has a deep friendship with Wang Houjun, and the two work hard together for the cause of Chinese football.
At the scene, Xu Genbao hid his face and cried, unable to control himself. The bouquet in his hand crumbled in his grief, barely holding it.
In addition to the famous names in the football world, thousands of fans spontaneously came to the funeral site to see off the queen army. They held flowers in their hands, tears in their eyes, and paid silent tribute.
When the son of the queen army appeared holding his portrait, the emotions of everyone at the scene reached a climax.
They couldn't control the grief in their hearts, and tears welled up in their eyes. The departure of this old man who has worked hard for Chinese football all his life makes them feel endless regret and grief.
Reference: Football Queen's Army [J].Century,2017,0(5):i0002