Sun Jihai, an iconic figure in Chinese football, is known as the "Chinese Sun". His career has been full of football, from his teenage rise to fame in the Premier League, and every stage has been filled with traces of football.
After retiring in 2016, he has transformed into a changeable person and is now an important figure in the Xinjiang youth training of Chinese football. Behind him, there is a warm family that has supported him in pursuing his football dream for many years.
He is an avid football enthusiast and a guardian of his family, and his life is full of love and persistence.
Sun Jihai, the representative of Chinese football in the "overseas corps" at the beginning of the 21st century, his football career is full of challenges and opportunities. He has twice played in the League One and the Premier League, and these twists and turns have made him a hot topic among fans.
In football, a multi-player sport, even if a person is good, it takes a team to discover his potential, make him stand out on the pitch, and continue to grow.
Born in Dalian, Liaoning Province in 1977, Sun Jihai made his debut at Dalian Wanda before the age of 18 and made his mark as a starter in an important match against Sichuan Quanxing.
No matter what kind of competitive sport, strength is the key to evaluation"Dishes are the original sin"This is the embodiment of this meaning. Sun Jihai was recognized for his talent and strength, and after his debut, he became the main player of the team, galloping in the top domestic league.
It was the heyday of the A-League, with teams such as Dalian Wanda and Dalian Shide dominating the league with great strength. This kind of environment is like a big wave of sand, not only to hone the skill and will of the players, but also to bring an instant spike in popularity.
When Sun Jihai was only 20 years old, he had become the core of the A-League championship team for two consecutive years, and received a call-up from the Chinese national team. Sun Jihai is very flexible on the field, and is known as the "all-rounder on the pitch", whether it is a central defender in the backfield, a full-back, or even a midfield position, he can play with ease.
In the national team, the right-back position is his strong point, and in addition to his excellent defensive ability, he also has strong attacking ability, so he also has the title of "defender with a knife".
For an athlete who is full of love for the sport, the next step should be higher goals, a farther vision, and stronger strength.
The question is, how? In 1998, Sun Jihai joined the Crystal Palace team in the English League through a transfer with Fan Zhiyi, the big brother of the national team.
From the beginning and development period of the Chinese Football League, "staying abroad" has been a topic that has attracted much attention and popularity. After all, football originated in the West, and if we want to talk about the competitive strength and historical origin of the league, then the major European leagues are undoubtedly strong and worth learning.
For Chinese players, once they are favored by the powerful teams in major European leagues and really go on the court to accept the baptism of the game, then the training methods, offensive and defensive concepts, cooperative tactics and other aspects will make great progress.
Therefore, this operation is also known as "football gilding", which means that Chinese players who have successfully passed the test of major European leagues will be more widely recognized for their professional value and future prospects.
Despite this, it is not an easy thing to "stay abroad" in the football world.
Players who challenge a new team in a foreign country will have to face multiple tests such as skill and social interaction. Luckily, they have a former TAs who can help them settle into their new environment, but that doesn't mean they'll adapt quickly.
Ten months at Crystal Palace were a crucial period for them to step out of their comfort zone and they gave a lot, such as more red and yellow cards. With these experiences, they have become more aware of the importance of physical training.
In 2002, Sun Jihai ushered in the second European opportunity, and after several rounds of contacts and trade-offs, he transferred to Manchester City in League One with a strong promotion momentum at that time for 2 million pounds, which set a new transfer record for Asian players.
In his first season at Manchester City, with his previous experience in League One, Sun Jihai quickly integrated into the team, participated in a number of competitions, and witnessed Manchester City's successful promotion to the Premier League.
Six seasons at Manchester City have been hailed as his best form and best performances.
In the second round of his first season in the Premier League, he was named to the best team, becoming the first Chinese player to score in the Premier League. He made almost 150 appearances in six seasons at Manchester City and was praised by City fans for his performances, particularly his long-range debut and 1v4 goal-line saves in 2005 and 2006.
However, despite his success in the Premier League, he eventually chose to leave Manchester City as he gradually declined in age and physical strength. That doesn't mean there are any problems between him and Manchester City, as his performances have earned him the nickname "Sun of China", and his surname "Sun" has become the focus of attention in the UK.
When he decided to leave Manchester City, the team awarded him the captain's armband in an international friendly, both in recognition of his performances at Manchester City and in remembrance of him.
Undoubtedly, this move also contains the factor of attaching importance to the Chinese market. After leaving Manchester City, Sun Jihai spent some time with Championship side Sheffield United before returning to China and playing an important role in a number of Chinese Super League teams.
Years later, Manchester City still regard Sun Jihai as an important figure in the development of the team. In October 2015, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame and, notably, is also City's ambassador in China.
Owen once described him as "a rare defender among Chinese players", although just looking at his achievements in the English league, it will be difficult for later Chinese players to approach or even break his record in the short term.
Sun Jihai, a player who used to play for Beijing Renhe in the Chinese league, officially announced his retirement at the end of 2016 at the age of 39. He has spent his entire life on the football pitch, from his home league to the national jersey and then to the English football league to prove himself.
Talking about the reason for retiring, Sun Jihai said that 99% of the reason is to start a business, after all, a person's physical fitness can always be kept at the peak. However, he also stressed that football has brought him a lot of joy and that even retiring does not mean that he is insulated from football, and that he hopes to get a professional coaching certificate in Europe because he feels that he is very suitable for coaching.
Although Sun Jihai's retirement made his family feel uncomfortable, it also brought them more time to reunite. Sun Jihai's wife, Wang Jiayu, is a native of Sichuan, known as the Sichuan girl, with a gentle and quiet temperament and gentle and generous manners.
Although she is not a sports fan and does not have a particularly big passion for football, but under Sun Jihai's unremitting pursuit, the two began a five-year long-distance love run, and finally entered the palace of marriage.
In 2002, when the rising star of the football world, Sun Jihai, and his wife Wang Jiayu entered the marriage hall, their wedding was full of guests because of Sun Jihai's high popularity and Wang Jiayu's extensive social network.
At the wedding, Huang Jianxiang served as the master of ceremonies, making the whole wedding more eye-catching. In the same year, Sun Jihai started his new journey in the Premier League with a transfer fee of £2 million, while his wife Wang Jiayu accompanied him to the UK.
One is chasing his dreams on the green field, the other is supporting him at home, and their lives are full of mutual companionship and understanding. During their years in the UK, they had two lovely children, and their lives became more colourful as a result.
The life of a family of four is full of happiness, but Sun Jihai regrets that he has always had a fighting mentality and is committed to doing his best during the competition, but he neglected to care for his daughter.
In a parent-child program in 2014, Sun Jihai once took his daughter Sun Ruiying to participate. Xiao Sun Ruiying inherited her mother's beautiful face and gentle and shy temperament, and every time she laughed, she warmed people's hearts like the sunshine in spring.
On this show, Sun Jihai also shared the changes in his life after returning to China and retirement, hoping to better balance his career and family.
After Sun Jihai retired, he did not have nothing to do, but had a new business plan. The "Hi Ball Technology" co-founded with a friend has gradually stabilized, showing his determination to the sports Internet project.
Interestingly, the date of the project's first funding round is the same as the date of his debut for the national team, only a 20-year difference.
In mid-2017, the Chinese Football Association announced the formation of an Under-20 elite training camp, with the familiar name Sun Jihai as the team leader. The decision has sparked a lot of speculation, does Sun Jihai's desire to continue working in football-related roles after retiring from the sport signal that he will make a move?
As it turned out, these guesses were correct. After several identity changes, Sun Jihai devoted himself to youth training in Xinjiang.
In September last year, the football match of the National Games made a comeback, and the Xinjiang U20 men's football team made a splash. This Xinjiang team, which was unknown in the field of football, went out like a powerful force this time and entered the finals in one go.
As the leader of the team, Sun Jihai is well aware of the ups and downs and challenges that this team has experienced, and he said excitedly: "With 62 years of perseverance and hard work, you have successfully advanced to the finals of the National Games, which is the history you have created!" ”
Although the Xinjiang team lost 1-2 to Zhejiang in the final and only won the silver medal, this did not dampen their pride and fighting spirit. Sun Jihai firmly believes that the result of this competition is inspiring enough and enough to prove their strength and potential.
He walked into the dressing room and inspired every player. He praised them for "making history by reaching the final" and gave special praise to the team members who unfurled the flag after the competition.
He firmly believes that as long as they continue to maintain this spirit and momentum, they will be the pride of Xinjiang and will be qualified to proudly represent the country in the future. In CCTV News "Relativity. In the column "Talking in All Cities", Sun Jihai once shared his experience and feelings about youth training in Xinjiang.
Sun Jihai grew up in Dalian, where football is strong, and he also has his own opinions on youth training: after the Dalian Shipyard team won good results in national competitions, football became a tradition in the city.
Since he was a child, he used a schoolbag instead of a goal, and he was fortunate to enter a regular club to train, and because of this, he attracted the envy of his partners. In Sun Jihai's mind, the Dalian football atmosphere he has experienced is undoubtedly a necessary soil for cultivating football talents.
Therefore, he has done his best in Xinjiang, just so that Xinjiang football talents can thrive and have more opportunities. In his opinion, there is quite a lot of room for improvement in Xinjiang football, the children's technical foundation is relatively weak, and the facilities and competition opportunities are insufficient, but this happens to be the direction of efforts.
Coaching resources are scarce, especially in areas where players on the pitch are transitioning into coaches in senior leagues. For national players and players, it is a common way to choose to study and become a coach after retiring.
Because they used to be masters on this track, they have a lot of experience in what to strive for and how to improve. Athletes like Sun Jihai, who are familiar with both domestic training and competitions and have experienced the European league first-hand, their personal experience and experience is a great asset.
In fact, not working as a coach is a huge waste of resources.
Sun Jihai once said in an interview with "Relativity" that professional players are like finished cups that have been formed, and they may be able to improve their aesthetics and practicality by adding handles and decorations, but it is difficult to fundamentally change.
In contrast, the youth academy is like a water cup remade from clay, which is more malleable. In order to create more opportunities for this group of young people and win support from all walks of life, Sun Jihai personally visited the Guangzhou City Club shortly after the National Games.
The club's leader, Zhao Junzhe, was Sun Jihai's national team-mate during the 2002 World Cup, and chairman Huang Shenghua was also an old friend.
At this gathering, Sun Jihai not only remembered the past, but also did not forget to seek more training and competition opportunities for Xinjiang youth training, hoping to get more help in the cultivation of youth training talents.
In March 2022, Sun Jihai became the assistant coach of the Chinese men's football team for the first time in preparing for the top 12 of the Asian qualifiers for the Qatar World Cup. So, will he continue to dominate the Xinjiang youth academy in the next stage, or will he move to a real coaching role?
This is undoubtedly a matter of concern.
Sun Jihai, the legend of Chinese football, officially announced his retirement today. Since then,"Chinese Sun"will slowly disappear from the green field. We extend our deep respect and gratitude to him.
When Sun Jihai looked back on his career, he recalled that moment fondly, and tears flowed unconsciously. It was the most memorable moment of his life and an important turning point in his life.
Recently, Sun Jihai visited the city of Guangzhou, not just to catch up with Zhao Junzhe. His heart is filled with a love for football and a care for the younger generation of players.
He hopes to pass on his experience and wisdom to the new generation of football professionals and contribute to the development of Chinese football. Sun Jihai's retirement marks the end of an era.
But his spirit and faith will always inspire us. Goodbye,"Chinese Sun"Thank you for your contribution to Chinese football, and I wish you all the best in your new life.
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