On December 1, 2018, former women's football international Zhang Ouying passed away in the United States. Because of cancer, she walked in a hurry.
When the bad news reached China, many fans were saddened. No one dared to think that such a main striker of women's football would go in such a way. You know, this year, Zhang Ouying is only 43 years old.
Zhang Ouying is such a brave and strong woman. Looking back on her career, she has played every game and lived up to anyone's expectations. It is under her leadership that the Chinese women's football team has taken the most brilliant steps.
And many people don't know that Zhang Ouying's last life is not good at all, and it has still caused embarrassment.
1999 World Cup – Shining the World
The 1999 Women's World Cup in the United States, known as the best women's football game in history. There, the Chinese women frightened the West even more.
On July 10, 1999, the sweltering heat was unbearable, and the temperature in California exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. Even so, in the Pasadena Rose Bowl Stadium, nearly 100,000 fans gathered to watch the final battle between the Chinese and American women's football teams against the championship.
As the host country of the World Cup, the U.S. government attaches great importance to this match. Then-President Clinton was personally present to cheer up, and television was broadcast live across the United States.
On the green field, the Chinese girls appeared first, wearing bright red battle uniforms dazzling, and each of them showed a resolute gaze.
In the eyes of the Western media, Chinese girls are short and too thin. In those days, the gap between us and the United States was too great. Whether it is physical fitness, training science, or logistics. Neither the Chinese women's soccer team is in the same echelon as the U.S. women's soccer team.
Half of the U.S. women's soccer team is black, tall and slender. In terms of endurance, this represents a natural advantage. Coupled with the home game, the American team has high morale and high confidence.
Everyone is gathering strength and determined to fight hard. As soon as the whistle blew, the two teams began a fierce fight. The Americans never expected that they would meet the strongest opponent.
Chinese girls are flexible and good at group attack.
China's backline was the best in this World Cup, with a goal-to-goal ratio of 19-2, but the United States used a full-time pressing tactic, causing China's midfield to be disconnected from the forward.
China had hoped to beat the United States on the golden ball, and although they had only two shots on goal in 90 minutes, they created three scoring chances in extra time, one of which was the most thrilling: defender Fan Yunjie took a corner kick from Liu Ying and threw his head into the empty goal, which was inevitable, but was finally solved by American midfielder Kristine Lilly.
Countless Chinese people feel sorry for this.
The Americans won 5-4, and the Chinese women's football team regretted to win silver. Even so, the Chinese girls have proudly demonstrated their strength and won recognition all over the world.
In that World Cup, Zhang Ouying and his teammates shone brightly.
On the journey back to China, they were also warmly welcomed by the Chinese people. This year, Zhang Ouying lived up to expectations and won the Asian Cup championship with the women's football players. In the following years, Zhang Ouying entered a personal golden age.
In a series of domestic and foreign matches, like an iron wolf, she galloped quickly and shot fiercely, making a great contribution to the Chinese women's football team. For a while, Zhang Ouying also had the title of "Women's Football Langping".
In 2005, after many years of playing for the country, she decided to go to the United States for further studies and prepare to transform into coaching. That year, she moved to the U.S. Spirits and became an assistant coach. Under the guidance of Zhang Ouying, this little-known local team has become the first class in the United States.
In 2007, after marrying her white husband Eddie, Zhang Ouying temporarily withdrew from football.
Return to the cold, lost to retire
On January 30, 2008, the cold winter wind blew bitingly, and at the gate of Qinhuangdao Football School, a thin woman stood alone. She is none other than Zhang Ouying, the main player of women's football in the past.
But just now, she experienced the most embarrassing moment of her life.
Three years ago, Zhang Ouying chose to retire. She went to the United States for further study, and lived a leisurely and stable life.
What is the choice now? She was also hesitant.
On one side is the family, on the other side is the former career. That night, Zhang Ouying couldn't sleep. But as soon as dawn broke, she decided to return to China.
Before the Lunar Chinese New Year's Eve, Zhang Ouying left her family, and against the cold wind, she came to San Diego Airport.
At that time, the women's football team was training in Qinhuangdao, because the road was far away, and Zhang Ouying's road back to China was also bumpy. A distance of 18,000 kilometers, it took several days and five flights to reach Qinhuangdao.
I thought that when I came to Qinhuangdao Football School, I must have been warmly greeted, but she was snubbed. Zhang Ouying pulled the suitcase, wore a down jacket, and stood in front of Marshal Elizabeth.
The other party was quite surprised: "I didn't expect you to come back so soon, let's talk to the leader first." ”
With such an attitude, Zhang Ouying noticed something abnormal. After Elizabeth did not explain much, she still went directly to the head of the football association.
The team leader looked Zhang Ouying up and down, and his cold face twitched and said, "Sorry, I haven't received the relevant notice." Zhang Ouying suddenly froze on the ground, she was surprised again, and even more strange.
Looking at Zhang Ouying's puzzled expression, the team leader stuffed a list: "Do you see if there is still your name on it?" Zhang Ouying was no longer polite at this time, she asked for it and quickly scanned back and forth.
On the list, the names of old teammates appeared impressively, and the scenes of fighting together in the past couldn't help but emerge, but at the end, she didn't find the three words "Zhang Ouying".
Immediately after, Zhang Ouying didn't expect it, and he felt that something had happened.
After traveling 18,000 kilometers, she had just returned from the other side of the ocean, and as soon as she stepped into the door of the Qinhuangdao Football School, she was immediately asked to leave.
It was already past 9 p.m., the streets of this small city were sparsely lit, and the football school staff refused even requests for a night's accommodation.
Afterwards, after many inquiries, Zhang Ouying understood the situation. The women's football team did not perform well in the East Asian Four Nations Championship, and coach Elizabeth was under great pressure, and the Football Association took the opportunity to make trouble. The two disagreed among the players appointed and quarreled greatly.
With unwillingness in his heart, Zhang Ouying did not go back immediately. As soon as she turned around, she went to the Hebei provincial team as an ordinary player. In his hometown, Zhang Ouying was deeply recognized by everyone. After a simple training, this veteran regained his former "offensive power".
In the following competition, the 33-year-old slashed all the way and led the Hebei team to win the first place in China. However, Zhang Ouying has passed the best physical stage after all. After cultivating a group of young cadres, she gave up her main position and quietly returned to the United States.
Suffering from cancer, strong and unyielding
Time flies, and many years have passed, and when friends in China once again learned the news of Zhang Ouying, she was suffering from illness.
In early 2018, Zhang Ouying was diagnosed with lung cancer. In an instant, her husband Eddie stayed in place. His wife is only 43 years old, she has never smoked or drunk, how can she get lung cancer?
But as for the reason, Zhang Ouying seems to know. Over the years, she has long exhausted her mental strength.
On the coldest days, Zhang Ouying also maintained a lot of exercise. After a football game, the athletes ran two marathons. As the main striker, Zhang Ouying is even more consuming.
As long as it is exercise, she has to breathe as long as possible. Remembering the scene when she was desperately panting, she said optimistically: "My lungs are already iron lungs, and I am not afraid of any cancer." ”
In the beginning, Zhang Ouying did not tell his relatives and friends in China about this matter. Every time she video chats, she has to pretend to be calm. When the coughing sounded and everyone began to ask, she just waved her hand and said it didn't matter.
On the screen, Zhang Ouying always looked full of smiles. She has a husband who loves her deeply and has two children. Friends never thought that Zhang Ouying would have any difficulties.
In fact, Zhang Ouying and his wife have long spent their savings. When you enter the hospital, the examination fee, treatment fee, and medical expenses are all indispensable. Dunning slips piled up like white snowflakes, where can Zhang Ouying cope with it.
Her husband, Eddie, is just a technical engineer at a company, and he has long been idle by the American Elves. In the past few years, the salaries of the two people have only been the expenses of the family.
At night, Zhang Ouying couldn't stop the pain. Her lungs twitched violently, and the tingling sensation was particularly pronounced, which she described as tearing apart. In order to survive the night, she took a lot of painkillers.
The disease ravaged Zhang Ouying every moment, her body was weak, she lost her sense of taste, and her hair began to fall out. In order to treat Zhang Ouying, her husband was in debt, but it was still of little use.
"Weren't you a member of the Chinese women's football team? Or ask your domestic friends for help." One night, her husband Eddie said to Zhang Ouying.
In fact, most of the women's football players come from the countryside, and they spend their youth on the green field, desperately striving for victories and honors. Only then will they be able to stay in the city.
But as soon as the best years pass, the women's soccer players are retiring. After that, it is the best place to find a husband who is sincerely with you.
Zhang Ouying is unwilling to burden her friends, and she and her husband are also struggling to support.
Finally, when the friends learned the true situation of Zhang Ouying, everyone was distressed. On domestic websites, fans of women's football have started crowdfunding for their own development.
In the final months, Chinese compatriots remitted 200,000 yuan in donations.
However, Zhang Ouying did not accept the donation, but entrusted her husband to transfer the donation to a girls' welfare institution in China.
At 23 o'clock on the evening of December 1, 2018, in the community hospital in San Diego, USA, Zhang Ouying finished his life.
Just a few days ago, she asked her husband to play a video of the 1999 women's football war between China and the United States. Looking at her extraordinary style back then, a proud smile appeared on her face. In the face of illness, Zhang Ouying still has to be the most powerful "Chinese female general".
According to doctors, the pain suffered by lung cancer patients in the advanced stage is not something that ordinary people can bear. And Zhang Ouying has always remained calm, she inspired the people around her with her smile, and also touched fans around the world.
After Zhang Ouying's death, local residents in the United States spontaneously rushed to lay flowers, and this Chinese girl impressed them deeply. On the other side of the ocean, in China, netizens also mourned and remembered on the Internet.
In the forum, there is no grief, only likes and farewells. Words such as "Gull Shadow Walk Well" and "Shadow Sister Immortal" are also filled with various sports websites. To this day, Zhang Ouying is still a proud predecessor in the hearts of the young generation of Chinese women's football.