According to the Evening News, while the whole nation was immersed in the joy of the Spring Festival, young Taida player Li Yuan was alone in Portugal pursuing his football career. Missing his family and the Taida team, he was more determined to perform well in Portugal and continue with his football life. Without fireworks to set off, without CCTV New Year's Gala to watch, and without his parents' company... In distant Lisbon, Portugal, Li Yuan went shopping with a few friends, which was how he celebrated the Spring Festival and welcomed the Year of the Dragon.
As a member of the Chinese Football Association's "500.com Star Plan", this young footballer from the Tianjin Taida U19 Youth Team is seeking his football dream in a foreign land. At 19 years old, Li Yuan's hometown is Zhongjiang County, Deyang City, Sichuan Province. He learned football at the Mingyu Football School since he was little. In the eyes of former national team player Ma Mingyu, Li Yuan is the most outstanding among many students. In 2006, after the Sichuan Guancheng Club disbanded and Sichuan no longer had a formal club, Ma Mingyu began contacting various clubs. Thus, in 2007, Li Yuan and four other teammates came to Tianjin from Sichuan when he was only 14 years old. Four years have passed, and Li Yuan has grown into a key player, with an opportunity for further advancement right before him.
Last summer, the Chinese Football Association, which started focusing on youth development, launched the "500.com Star Plan". After multiple rounds of selection, 24 young players including Li Yuan were sent to various teams in Portugal for training. Li Yuan was assigned to the Royal Sports Club, even though it is a Portuguese second-tier team, it usually ranks high in the league, and the most famous player to emerge from here is Nani, who currently plays for Manchester United. Another player from Hangzhou Greentown Youth Team was also assigned to the Royal Sports Club along with him. Every afternoon, Li Yuan would take a small train to the city, and after about ten minutes, he would arrive at the training ground. Regarding his current situation at the Royal Sports Club, Li Yuan said: "We are now playing in the reserve team of this club. Training starts at 17:00 every day, and there is only one training session per day. I feel that the training volume is a bit less." Despite the lower training volume, the competition within the team is quite fierce, "Currently, there are 30 people in this reserve team, and the training content is basically real combat practice." The biggest concern for Li Yuan now is the match issue, as he hasn't received his participation certificate yet, so he can't participate in the reserve team league matches. Li Yuan told reporters that currently, he can only maintain his condition through training and try to adapt to the team's rhythm. He said: "I mainly played as a defensive midfielder in China, but since coming here, I mostly play as an attacking midfielder. I am more involved in the offense." Additionally, Li Yuan has figured out some aspects of Portuguese football style, "The players here prefer dribbling, and individual performance plays a bigger role in games, and the coaches also encourage this approach. It seems like I will have to strive for a transformation in the future."
According to the plan, Li Yuan and others will study in Portugal for one year. However, due to procedural reasons, the departure date for the young players was delayed repeatedly. Eventually, Li Yuan didn't start training in Portugal until the end of last year, "The time won't be extended, and by June this year, I can go home." Li Yuan's tone revealed his longing for his hometown and family. Due to the time difference, it is difficult for Li Yuan to contact his friends in China immediately. Li Yuan joked: "When I greet my domestic friends on Weibo, I first say 'Good morning,' and then write 'It's late, good night.' Isn't this kind of greeting quite 'contradictory'?" As for leisure activities, Li Yuan said: "Watch TV series brought from China, then go out with teammates, basically that's all."
The Spring Festival has arrived, but Li Yuan, who is in Portugal, cannot feel the strong festive atmosphere. "During the Minor New Year, I went to a nearby Chinese restaurant to eat dumplings to satisfy my craving. Missing family is inevitable, and I usually keep in touch with them by phone or online, but the internet speed here is a bit slow, even video chatting lags." A somewhat humble and lonely life did not make Li Yuan feel bored. As a member of the "post-90s" generation, Li Yuan's calmness surprised the reporter a bit. He said: "Since I came out to practice football, I will definitely sacrifice some things, and these are all unavoidable. Professional footballers are destined to lead a wandering life, and I am mentally prepared for this aspect."
According to the contract arrangement of the Chinese Football Association's "500.com Star Plan", if the young players like Li Yuan can catch the eye of their respective clubs during the training phase, they will be offered a genuine professional contract by the club. Li Yuan said: "Which player doesn't want to play in Europe? I hope to stay in this team." However, Li Yuan did not put all his eggs in the basket of the Royal Sports Club, "I came from the Tianjin team, and if I return to China, I will definitely go back to Tianjin. I previously knew that the Tianjin U19 Youth Team won the national league championship, and some teammates were promoted to the reserve team, I sincerely feel happy for them. Once I return, I will surely catch up, striving to enter the reserve team or even the first team as soon as possible."