Soccer in Meizhou, the hometown of soccer in China

"The hometown of soccer - Meizhou is second to none in the national soccer world, the world-famous king of the ball Li Huitang came from Meizhou, the reputation of the hometown of soccer came from 1956, that year, the National Sports Commission, based on the long history of soccer and the development of the current situation in the Meixian District of Meizhou City, Meizhou was awarded the The title of "Hometown of Soccer" was given to Meizhou by the National Sports Commission. In the late 1950s, Premier Zhou Enlai said at a foreign work conference, "Meizhou is the 'hometown of soccer' and invited foreign friends to visit there." In 1964, the State Sports Commission identified Meizhou City Meixian District as one of the 10 key districts and counties in the country to carry out soccer. 1979, the State Council approved the establishment of 16 key soccer areas in the country, and the Meizhou area was on the list.

Driven by Meizhou, all districts and counties in the Meizhou region are booming in soccer, with a very deep soccer culture, sending many athletes to high-level sports teams at all levels, and cultivating a lot of well-known soccer coaches, which has made outstanding contributions to the development of Chinese soccer. The most touching thing is that, as we all know at present Chinese soccer is in the trough, but as an economically underdeveloped region, Meizhou successive party committees and governments have given strong support to the cause of soccer, especially the cause of youth soccer, especially the recent launch of the revitalization of the 'soccer hometown' ten-year plan is in the forefront of the country, fully embodies the municipal party committee of Meizhou, Municipal government's support for the soccer cause and planning the development of sports undertakings visionary, try their best to help Meizhou develop the soccer cause." This is a few days ago led a team to come to Meizhou research, the State General Administration of Sports Football Management Center, deputy director of the Chinese Football Association, vice chairman of Xue Li in the field to understand the city of Meizhou, Guangdong Province, vigorously develop the effectiveness of the cause of youth soccer to give a high evaluation. Meizhou City is China's well-known "hometown of soccer", in addition to the birth of the "world champion" Li Huitang, Meizhou has sent more than 300 outstanding soccer talent for the country, including Zeng Xuelin, Yang Fisun, Wang Huiliang, Xie Yuxin and other famous athletes. But Meizhou soccer has also experienced a trough. However, in the last two years, with the revitalization of the soccer township ten-year plan began to be implemented, the development of school soccer, mountainous areas coaches have the opportunity to go out or through the invitation to come in and exchange with well-known coaches, the community enthusiastically participate in organizing a variety of soccer tournaments ...... Meizhou seeks to revitalize the "soccer township! "wind, polishing" soccer "brand, the former" soccer "township" is rejuvenated, soccer atmosphere has never been thicker. In 1873, foreign missionaries introduced modern soccer technology to Meizhou Wuhua Changbu Town;

1907, Mr. Sun Yat-sen sent the Japanese League members Xie Yiqiao and Wen Jinghou returned to his hometown of Meizhou, founded Meizhou City, Meixian District, Songkou Town, Sports Association and Sports School, in the development of soccer at the same time, the cultivation of the military backbone of the Xinhai Revolution;

1949 after the founding of the country, the Meizhou government attaches great importance to football in the local development of the country. State government attaches great importance to the local development of soccer. Increasing the number of soccer fields, hosting major soccer tournaments, and training young people in soccer began to become the focus of the development of soccer in Meizhou in recent times, and players from Meizhou occupied half of the national team

In 1989, Gao Fengwen led the national team to the World Cup qualifying tournament, and Xie Yuxin, Wu Wenbing, Guo Yijun, and Zhang Xiaowen were all from the same city of Meizhou, Xingning County.

In 1993, as Chinese soccer embarked on the road to professionalism, the relatively economically backward Meizhou began to decline in soccer.

June 28, 2008 Meizhou City, held a symposium to revitalize the soccer township of Meizhou, with the Guangdong Wanli Celebrity Football Club *** with the implementation of the "Wanli soccer hope project".

August 2015 Wuhan East Asia Cup, Meizhou players Liu Binbin and Rao Weihui were selected for the national team and played in the same match. Li Huitang

Li Huitang, Meizhou five Chinese, China's first generation of ball king, "to see the opera to see Mei Lanfang, to play football to see Li Huitang" is a phrase circulated in Shanghai in the 1930's. In 1926 in Shanghai held the Universal Football Championships, Li Huitang as the captain of the Chinese soccer team defeated Portugal, Scotland, two strong teams, creating a Chinese soccer team, the Chinese soccer team, and the Chinese soccer team. two strong teams, creating a record for Chinese soccer teams to beat foreign soccer teams consecutively.

Tang scored more than 2,000 goals in his career*** and represented the national team in the Far East Games four times to win the soccer championship. In 1976, Li Huitang was named one of the "World's Five Greatest Players" along with Pele (Brazil), Matthews (England), Stefano (Spain) and Puskás (Hungary) in a competition organized by an authoritative soccer magazine in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Zeng Xuelin

Zeng Xuelin, a native of Meixian District, Meizhou City, began his coaching career in the 1960s. He led the Tianjin soccer team to win the National Soccer League A, the AFC Cup and the National Games soccer tournament.In 1983, at the age of 54, Zeng Xuelin became the head coach of the Chinese soccer team and was runner-up in the Asian Cup in the following year before retiring in 1990 as the vice chairman of the Chinese Soccer Association.

During the 53 years from 1951 to 2003, the soccer teams of Meizhou City and Meixian District (including women's soccer teams) participated in various domestic competitions 239 times, of which they won 123 championships, 62 runner-ups and 32 third-place finishes. At present, Meizhou City and Meixian District each has a professional youth soccer team and women's soccer team with considerable strength. The city has 11 traditional soccer project schools, more than 170 large and small soccer field, the city has sent to the provincial level more than 200 athletes, including more than 30 national team.