GBA Close-up | They are mothers and also football champions

Guangdong won the championship in the women's veteran futsal group of the 14th National Games this year. It is also the first gold medal won by the Guangdong team.

What makes the team unique is that some team members are mothers with an average age of 41 years old. They used to be professional football players. After retirement, they were engaged in different occupations: security guards, saleswomen, office workers, PE teachers, stay-at-home mom..." Some people call us mom football team." said Tan Huayan, the captain of Guangdong women’s football team.

The idea of returning to the football field can be traced back to 6 years ago. One member Xie Wenzhen was diagnosed with hives and managed to call her former teammates out to play football twice a week from then on.

Gradually, the football team changed their career plans. Some became national football referees, some opened a sports company and founded a football club. They agreed that they should try their best to provide professional training to children who want to play football. Thanks to their years’ efforts, after receiving their training, some children were admitted to critical high schools in Guangdong because of football talent.

In recent years, football has been actively developed in all sectors of society. According to Ye Xiquan, the chairman of the Guangdong Football Association, up to now, the number of registered players in Guangdong Football Association has increased to over 15,000 people.