In the “Football Ideal Nation” of Shaanbei County, destinies rewritten by football

Reporter Wang Weizhi reporting Without football, Zhidan County in northern Shaanxi’s Yan'an City might have fewer moving stories; without football, Zhidan’s “Football Hall of Fame,” the Zhidan Football Association’s magazine "Ideal Nation," and the “Golden Cup” and “Red Star Cup” tournaments might be forgotten; without Ding Changbao, the director of Zhidan County Football Development Center and chairman of the Football Association who treats football as life, none of the five siblings Wang Maomao and Wang Lanlan might have entered university, Wang Wenna might have continued her beauty services without the call from a 211 university; without football, there might be no “Xintianyou on the Tiptoes,” no astronomical average score of 25.6 goals per game, and no football broadcasts related to Zhidan County on TV...

During our reporter’s visit to Zhidan County, the importance of football in the hearts of Zhidan people was deeply felt; football has even changed the fate of many young students in Zhidan.

On March 29, 2014, during a state visit to Germany, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan met with young Chinese football players from Zhidan County, Shaanxi, training in Germany, including 11-year-old Wang Maomao.

Eleven years later, Wang Maomao has graduated from Chongqing Normal University and returned to her hometown Zhidan to coach, continuing her football journey. She is now a coach at the Zhidan Football Association. “I am proud to have played football in front of President Xi!” Wang Maomao recalls that in her second year on the Zhidan football team, after only two years of training, she was selected as a starting forward.

Recalling the moment she met President Xi, Wang Maomao still finds it unforgettable. “I remember a teammate presented the team flag to the President and asked which team he favored most. To this day, I clearly remember his answer: he supported our team and hoped our generation would become outstanding football players.” This simple encouragement has continuously motivated Wang Maomao to pursue her football dreams.

▲ Group photo of Zhidan County youth football team in Germany

In 2020, Wang Maomao was admitted to the Sports Training program at the School of Sports and Health Sciences, Chongqing Normal University. During university, she achieved many honors with her team: seventh place in the National Women’s Five-a-side Football Championship, eighth place in the first National Student (Youth) Games, and champion of the Chongqing University Women’s Football League, among others.

Wang Maomao’s achievements come from her genuine passion. “I really love football and want to keep playing.” She said that during elementary school, due to limited campus space, extracurricular activities were scarce, but campus football caught her attention. Every summer vacation, Zhidan County organizes free football training, allowing passionate students to join. Wang Maomao became part of the Zhidan youth football team.

Ding Changbao was Wang Maomao’s football mentor. Now, after graduating from university, she has returned to the Zhidan Football Association as a coach, contributing to local football. She affectionately calls Ding “Dad Ding” and often discusses football with him.

Wang Maomao is now fully committed to football. She hopes to train more children in Zhidan to play football. “I want more girls to join football, and I aim to build an excellent team in my hometown Zhidan.”

▲ Wang Maomao has returned to Zhidan to give back to local football

In August this year, Cao Jing, who grew up playing football in Zhidan, received an admission letter from Fudan University in Shanghai. This moment marked the fruition of her ten years of football dedication, realizing her university dream through Zhidan football.

Cao Jing was selected by the Zhidan Football Association as captain of the 2006 age group girls’ team during elementary school. Since then, after school on weekdays and early mornings on weekends, football training fields witnessed her running and growth. She honed her skills in Zhidan’s youth training teams and gained experience in school leagues and competitions outside the city.

▲ Cao Jing admitted to Fudan University

High school was a critical period for Cao Jing’s football development. Ding Changbao recognized her potential—good studies, character, and football skills—and firmly believed she was a promising talent who deserved a higher, more professional platform to broaden her football horizons. After discussing with Cao Jing and her parents, Ding made a bold plan: although Cao Jing could enter a key high school in Yan'an, she transferred to the football class at Mianyang Experimental School in Sichuan to pursue her dream. Ding said, “Our goal is Fudan University. As long as the child can be nurtured and develop better, all efforts are worthwhile. I firmly believe she can get into Fudan.”

Three years later, Cao Jing fulfilled her dream by entering Fudan University, becoming the first Fudan student in Zhidan’s history. Her success also brought relief and pride to Ding Changbao.

▲ Wang Wenna admitted to Taiyuan University of Technology

Thanks to football, many children in Zhidan have changed their destinies. Ding Changbao said, “There are many such examples in Zhidan. For instance, Wang Wenna used football to open the door to Taiyuan University of Technology, avoiding working in a neighborhood beauty salon; Cao Jing, a rural girl, became a Fudan student and Zhidan’s pride; the short-statured Shao Jiajia, after college, found a job at a Xi’an youth training club, worked diligently, became a respected ‘head coach’; Gao Jialong, who struggled abroad but didn’t become a professional player, became an excellent football coach at Yan’an Peiwen School. Football doesn’t make everyone a star, but becoming a self-reliant, responsible taxpayer is enough.”

He Tianxue, who started playing football relatively late in Zhidan, only joining the county’s school football league in middle school, always dreamed of Suzhou University and finally achieved her goal through hard work.

Zhang Xiaoyue came from a difficult family background and was determined to change her fate. Selected for the Zhidan Football Association team in third grade, she trained hard on football skills while studying diligently, eventually gaining admission to Xiangnan College and realizing her university dream.

▲ Zhang Xiaoyue admitted to Xiangnan College

Every year, Zhidan County has outstanding football students entering universities. Up to this year, more than 60 children have gained university admission through football.

In Zhidan County, football is no longer just a sport; it has become a bridge connecting this remote county to the wider world. Zhidan football is a beam of light illuminating countless children’s futures. From youth training team development to cross-province transfer systems, over twenty years of football dedication in Zhidan has gradually carved a path for children to reach university dreams. These young footballers’ efforts have never been out of Zhidan’s watchful eyes; no matter how far or high they go, behind them is always the land of Zhidan that first taught them to pass, shoot, and rise after falling. The seeds planted by Zhidan and the football talents nurtured there are now blossoming youthfully and bearing fruits of hope across broader lands.

▲ Zhidan youth football players participated in the recently concluded 2nd “Western Youth Training Cup”

Football carries the dreams of 150,000 Zhidan residents, tempered through trials and hardships. Like the phoenix rising depicted in the Zhidan Football Association’s emblem, this spirit influences every football student, embodying resilience and pride ingrained in their bones. Intense training, injuries, and setbacks repeatedly tell their story of effort and forge their willpower. In the end, each admission letter proves that Zhidan football students have been tempered into steel.

Football is both a vital skill for life and a pastime. Regardless of how football exists, it represents 22 years of dedicated effort by Zhidan County to support every child passionate about the sport. Meanwhile, Zhidan football continues to grow, committed to building better platforms for its students. Today, Zhidan has football specialty classes in middle and high schools, broadening and securing football pathways for children. Ding Changbao said, “What makes me most proud in Zhidan’s football development is that in a small county of only 150,000 people, football has gained majority support and is gradually becoming a cultural legacy. Developing football and building a national youth training and competition base is a strategic goal of the Zhidan County Party Committee and government. The goal for Zhidan football to forge a distinctive and hopeful path is within reach.”