Huang Jianxiang's eyes were brimming with tears!
This was the moment he had been waiting for so long!
When Hao Junmin first went abroad to play in the Bundesliga, fans thought it was the beginning of a new era. However, Hao was only fielded in inconsequential matches, without assists or goals to his name. After all, his competitors for a starting position were Farfán and RakitiÄ.
Later, when Magath left and Ralf Rangnick took over, Hao lost his spot completely and could only sit on the bench waiting for his contract to expireâa full year away at the time. In the end, he had to terminate his contract early and return home.
From then on, the vast world of Europe's top five leagues was left with just one Chinese player: Ye Chen, in Manchester United's U18 team.
But was Ye Chen a source of pride for Chinese football?
No, he was a tragedy.
Everyone knew Manchester United signed him not for his talent but for the lucrative Chinese market behind him. Despite spending two to three years at the club, Ye Chen failed to make any waves. Initially, some media covered his training progress, but over time, even that coverage disappeared.
It was said that the club was giving him enough space to develop. Everyone, however, knew the truth: Ye Chen was nothing but a pawn, barely qualifying as a real player.
At that point, Ye Chen was called up to the U17 national team. Fans regained hope, eager to see what differences his Manchester United training had made.
But without playing a single match, Ye Chen was expelled from the team.
The reason? Refusing to train with the team and acting like a diva!
For a Chinese player to act so arrogantly was an unthinkable disgrace.
During that time, Ye Chen was mercilessly targeted online. Countless keyboard warriors unleashed torrents of negativity at him.
He became the national scapegoat, ridiculed and cursed even by those who didn't follow football. Meme videos mocking Ye Chen flooded the internet, and his name became a symbol of hatred among Chinese fans. For a while, the criticism of Chinese men's football subsided as everyone focused their ire on him.
But no one knew the real story.
At his Dortmund unveiling, Ye Chen, who had endured so much in silence, finally revealed the truth.
The revelation stirred hearts across China.
Soon, "I owe Ye Chen an apology" became the top trending topic online.
Yet, Ye Chen made no comments on the matter.
People praised his magnanimity, but the truth was: Ye Chen was too busy training with his new team, adapting to his new life, and exhausted from his schedule to pay attention to domestic online chatter.
After all, he didn't even have an agent to handle such matters.
Nevertheless, Ye Chen's name began to rise in prominence back home.
Renowned football host Jian Jun posted a video about Ye Chen on social media.
In it, Jian Jun said:
"A 17-year-old boy wandering alone in the foreign football world, called up to the national team on his birthdayâa seemingly joyous occasionâonly to face the shocking reality that the association demanded bribes for playing time!"
"The boy bravely stood up to the corruption but was branded a deserter instead!"
"He returned to his club, spending his birthday all alone, without friends or family, unable even to get reimbursed for his travel expenses!"
"Imagine the loneliness and helplessness he endured!"
"Yet hardship didn't break him. In Manchester United U18's official matches, his talent finally shone. With two goals and one assist, he led his team to victory over a Liverpool side spearheaded by England's rising star, Raheem Sterling!"
"He even showcased breathtaking plays like a volleyed strike and a long-range lob from midfield!"
"But before the match even ended, he was released from the club..."
"For a 17-year-old, that was an utter catastropheâa world-shattering blow!"
"While everyone expected him to fall into despair, news of a press conference surfaced instead!"
"The missing Ye Chen was reborn like a phoenix, signing with Bundesliga champions Dortmund as a professional player!"
"No one knows the full story behind this transformation. But imagine the mental strength and unyielding will it took to overcome those trials!"
"He faced every taunt and insult alone!"
"And he never gave up!"
"He is a fighter!"
"He is a warrior!"
"But above all, he is still a childâjust 17 years old!"
"This is Ye Chen's story as a professional footballer."
"After hearing this, would you still hate him?" Jian Jun concluded passionately, lowering his voice to ask, "Would you still hate him?"
No one could hate him anymore.
Even those who never cared about football eagerly awaited Dortmund's next match just to see Ye Chen play.
Before the game, doubts arose: was Klopp's statement at the pre-match press conference merely a stunt? Would Ye Chen even get on the field?
But he did!
And the concerns shifted: Could he handle such a high-intensity match?
What happened next stunned everyone.
In the early minutes of the second half, Ye Chen opportunistically scored a goal!
This was Ye Chen's first game for Dortmund, and he scored against a strong opponent, Mainz.
When commentator Huang Jianxiang exclaimed, "Ye Chen has become the youngest player in Bundesliga history to score on his debut!", countless fans erupted in cheers.
A Chinese player had made history!
Ye Chen used his feet to create history!
Unbeknownst to him, his feat sparked immense celebration back home.
After a brief celebration, Ye Chen returned to the center circle, waiting for Mainz to restart play.
The goal didn't significantly affect his composure.
After all, in his past life as a striker, he had scored goals beforeâjust not against a Bundesliga side like Mainz.
The joy of scoring remained the same, but Ye Chen quickly refocused, thinking about how to help his team turn the game around.
His recent goal came from clever positioning. If not for his agility and anticipation, he wouldn't have had the chance to score.
The score was now 1-1. Mainz kicked off again, determined to maintain composure. Knowing Dortmund's overall strength was superior, they focused on stabilizing their rhythm and avoiding further goals.
But Dortmund had other plans. They pressed aggressively, aiming to increase the tempo.
In the 64th minute, Ye Chen charged at Fathi as the ball was passed back. Calmly, Fathi returned it to the goalkeeper, but Ye Chen quickly pivoted, sprinting towards the keeper.
Under pressure, the Mainz goalkeeper cleared the ball with a long kick.
Kehl intercepted it with a header, passing it to GündoÄan, who launched a quick counterattack. The ball eventually reached PeriÅ¡iÄ on the left flank.
PeriÅ¡iÄ dashed forward but found Ye Chen hadn't positioned himself centrally for a cross.
Ye Chen, aware of his lighter build, avoided being sandwiched between two defenders. Instead, he feigned retreating towards the edge of the box.
Shinji Kagawa moved in to support, and PeriÅ¡iÄ passed back.
As Kagawa dribbled laterally, Ye Chen suddenly reversed his run. Kagawa's perfectly timed through ball bypassed the defenders and met Ye Chen's sprint.
Without slowing, Ye Chen poked the ball with his toe, lifting it over the advancing goalkeeper.
"Duang!"
The ball struck the inside of the post, spun into the net, and dropped down.
This time, Ye Chen ran to the corner, leaping high and celebrating with a cry: "Siu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!"