Recently, I heard that Zhang Linpeng brought his family to visit his mentor Xu Genbao, a football veteran who is still on the front line of youth training even though he is over eighty years old, which is really admirable. Xu Lao not only made a joke to Zhang's children, saying that they may not be able to pass the youth selection process, but what is revealed behind this is a spirit of fair competition, even if it is the teacher's children, they have to follow the rules. This attitude is an excellent example for any young player who wants to step into the world of football.
Xu Genbao's love and persistence for youth training is not only reflected in words and deeds. The audition on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year is his specific action to find and cultivate the hope of a new generation of Chinese football. His goal is not small, to pick out from these children the international players who can win glory for the national team. Thinking of this, I can't help but have more expectations and hopes for the future of Chinese football.
When it comes to Chinese football, we have to mention our national football team. Players like Zhang Linpeng and Wu Lei are the first generation cultivated by Xu Genbao, and their performance on the field has always been an important force in the national football team. Although we unfortunately missed the 2018 World Cup, that time, even with a world-class coach like Lippi leading the team, we were unable to break through the qualifiers, which has always been a pain in the hearts of the national football team and fans.
Now, our eyes have turned to the 2026 World Qualifiers. This time, the task of the national football team is to break through from the round of 36. The key to success lies not only in the performance of players such as Wu Lei and Yan Junling, but also in whether we can cultivate more outstanding newcomers to strengthen the team. The work of Mr. Xu Genbao is particularly important, and his academy is the cradle for us to discover new talents.
Finally, Mr. Xu's criticism of the national football players is also out of love and expectation. He reminded everyone not to be complacent, if Chinese football wants to truly go out of Asia, it needs more efforts and struggles. This kind of harsh words is actually the best motivation for the players. Only by constantly improving itself can Chinese football achieve greater breakthroughs.
As an ordinary fan, my admiration for Mr. Xu Genbao is beyond words. His perseverance and hard work are a beacon for Chinese football to move forward. I believe that with the joint efforts of him and many football workers, the future of Chinese football will be better. Each of our fans deserves more support and understanding, because the road of football will always need faith and dreams to illuminate.