Beijing, May 5 (Reporter Xing Rui) The first phase of the 14 Women's League A League is in full swing. In early May, Jiang Mingzuo followed the Dalian women's football team to Haikou. Before the start of the game, the team's training intensity continued to increase, which made Jiang Mingzuo, who had only been in the professional arena for 2023 months, sigh: "Compared with before, the pace of life has become significantly faster." ”
Image source: Jiang Mingzuo social media
Run from the workplace back to the arena
In the 24-year-old Jiang Mingzuo, there are many seemingly unrelated labels: she is a graduate of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, a blogger with nearly 50,<> followers on social platforms, and is also regarded as the "ceiling" of Chinese women's football.
These seemingly unrelated titles are a microcosm of Jiang Mingzuo's past life. From playing football after graduating from primary school, to "abandoning the ball and practicing medicine" in college, and then returning to the field after work, Jiang Mingzuo finally discovered: "Football is what I love and can stick to, so I choose to work hard in the field I am good at." ”
Photo courtesy of interviewee
In February this year, Jiang Mingzuo officially joined the Dalian women's football team. Before that, she hadn't played for more than a year.
Like most graduates, in the summer of 2022, Jiang Mingzuo, who is about to leave the university, spent most of his time and energy on completing his graduation thesis and finding a job. After graduating, she entered the advertising industry and lived a white-collar life clocking in and out on time.
If I hadn't seen the trial notice of the Dalian women's football team, Jiang Mingzuo's white-collar life might last longer. But after completely stepping into the industry that has nothing to do with football, Jiang Mingzuo discovered how important football is to him. After thinking about it repeatedly, Jiang Mingzuo decided to resign and participate in the trial training of the Dalian women's football team.
Image source: Jiang Mingzuo social media
Twins' football school time
This decision made Jiang Mingzuo's twin sister Jiang Mingyou feel incredible: "She thought it was difficult for me to change careers, but she didn't object." ”
In 2011, the Chinese Football School selected female football cadets in Qinhuangdao. After layers of assessment, 18 people were finally selected, including Jiang Mingzuo and Jiang Mingyou, twin sisters.
In the six years of football school, Jiang Mingzuo's life was almost filled with football: "Every day training and classes are the same mode, there is no entertainment time, and this mechanical repetition makes people feel very hard." But because they signed an agreement before enrollment, they couldn't quit halfway, and the sisters gritted their teeth and persevered for 6 years.
The efforts of the past will always pay off at some point in time: in 2015, Jiang Mingzuo won the national middle school football championship with the team; In 2017, the team won the championship of the high school girls' division of the National Youth Campus Football League; After entering university, she helped Beizhongyi win the Capital University Football League championship. After cooperating with the Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Women's Football Team in Tianjin TEDA, Jiang Mingzuo served as the captain of the team and led the team from Women's B to Women's A.
Image source: Jiang Mingzuo social media
Since childhood, Jiang Mingzuo and his sister have never been separated. She plays as a centre-back and her sister plays as a full-back. During the college entrance examination, the sisters were admitted to the acupuncture and massage major of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.
"After playing football for 6 years, when I went to university, I wanted to try different fields. The acupuncture and tuina major also involves sports rehabilitation-related knowledge, and I have more experience in this area. Jiang Mingzuo said.
After graduating from college, the sisters stepped into the workplace, but Jiang Mingzuo eventually changed his mind. She picked up her football dream again and officially embarked on a professional path after passing the trial training of the Dalian women's football team.
Image source: Jiang Mingzuo social media
The girl who plays football is also beautiful
Playing with teammates who are younger and have risen from the professional ladder makes Jiang Mingzuo feel pressure. In order to close the gap as soon as possible, she constantly improves the intensity of her training, and also goes to the gym on weekends to increase her strength.
In just a few months, Jiang Mingzuo gained nearly 15 pounds, and the whole person looked a lot stronger: "Everything is for football." It may not look that pretty, but I'm happy so I can fight on the field. ”
If it is the first time to meet Jiang Mingzuo, I am afraid it will be difficult to associate her with the girl who plays football. When she participated in the Women's B League in the early years, she and her sister were called "twin sister flowers" by fans because of their appearance.
In Jiang Mingzuo's view, ball skills and appearance do not conflict. Although under her social media account, some people will raise the question of "appearance is greater than ball skills", but Jiang Mingzuo does not care about these outside discussions. The experience of 6 years of football school career has given her a stronger ability to withstand pressure: "I hope to have a better platform in the future, or prove myself when the technology is better, so that they will not have such a narrow view." ”
Jiang Mingzuo in training Image source: Photo courtesy of interviewee
At present, the Women's League One has been played for three rounds, and Jiang Mingzuo's name stays in the column of substitutes. Running on the green field as a child, her biggest dream is to enter the national team. Although he has been fighting in the campus football league for many years, as a recruit in the professional arena, Jiang Mingzuo understands: "This goal is too far away from me now. The most urgent thing at the moment is how to improve yourself, how to play better and stand on a bigger stage. ”
For the future of his football career, Jiang Mingzuo did not think too much, and only worked hard step by step to move forward. "One day, I hope to go to the Women's Super League and train myself." She said. (End)