YINCHUAN, China, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The football pitch at Xingqing District No. 19 Primary School in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, came alive with cheers and laughter on Thursday morning.
Dozens of children trained side by side with members of China's U-17 men's national team, taking part in dribbling drills, shooting practice, ball-juggling exercises and five-a-side games. For many students, it was the first time they had the chance to learn directly from national team players.
"Keep your feet moving!" "Great, one more time!" Jiang Cheng'en, Zhang Junhao and Pan Chaowei guided children through different training stations, demonstrating techniques and offering tips. Cheers erupted after every well-taken shot, while the national team players joined the children for lively five-a-side games.
The visit came shortly after China's U-17 team played its second match at the CFA four-nation international youth football tournament, a warm-up competition ahead of the FIFA U-17 World Cup later this year.
Two months ago, China finished runner-up at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup to book their place at the U-17 World Cup. It marked China's first appearance at a FIFA youth tournament in 21 years. The team will compete in Qatar this November.
After the activities, 12-year-old Zhu Zheyu, captain of the school team, hurried over to Jiang for an autograph on his jersey.
"He's my favorite player because of his outstanding goalkeeping skills," Zhu said. "It feels amazing to train with them and learn from them."
Having played football since first grade, Zhu trains for more than two hours every day with both his school team and a local youth club. He will soon compete in the Ningxia FA Elite U-12 League and dreams of becoming a professional footballer.
Watching from the sidelines, his mother Meng Licai said her son never complains, no matter how tired he is.
"He always comes home exhausted and soaked in sweat, but he never talks about giving up," she said. "As long as football makes him happy, I'll always support him."
For Jiang, the activity also brought back memories of his own childhood.
"I started playing football in first grade too," he said. "Today's children have better opportunities than we did. I hope they continue training, play in more competitive matches and one day represent China on the international stage."
Li Zhiyu, head of the school's PE department, said the visit would leave a lasting impression on students.
"Most of these children had only seen national team players on television or from the stands. Meeting them in person made those dreams feel much closer," he said. ■
