Tribute to the legend! The national football team will hold a retirement ceremony for Zheng Zhi before the warm-up match, and the number 108 jersey records history
After some deliberation, the 43-year-old Zheng Zhi finally made the decision to retire with reluctance, so far Zheng Zhi's number of games for the Chinese team is locked at 108, ranking 5th in the list of battles for the country. According to the plan, the Chinese Football Association and the Chinese men's football team will hold a retirement ceremony for Zheng Zhi, who has become the team's assistant coach, at the Barracuda Bay Professional Stadium in Dalian, the venue of the game, before the warm-up match against Myanmar on June 16.
Speaking of Zheng Zhi's retirement, the time can be turned back to the evening of January 24, 2019, local time, at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where the Chinese team lost 0-3 at the feet of Iran in the Asian Cup 1/4 final. Shortly after the final whistle, Zheng Zhi, the 38-year-old veteran captain of the national football team, led the team to the stands where Chinese fans gathered, looking at the compatriots who called "cheer for the Chinese team", Zheng Zhi bowed deeply and tears came out of his eyes. Such a touching scene also seems to send a signal to the outside world that Zheng Zhi may have made plans to hang up his boots from the team after fighting for almost the "last drop of blood" for the national team.
However, the "Zheng Zhi retirement" expected by the outside world has not happened. The reason is not that Zheng Zhi does not want to "vacate" positions for young players, but that in the past 10 years of "Golden Yuan Rush", the soil for the cultivation of domestic professional football talents is barren, and there are only a few talents that can be topped. So it is not difficult to understand that Zheng Zhi was still on standby as a manager and player in the Chinese Super League until last season.
Of course, the decision to retire also stemmed from Zheng Zhi's own persistent love for football, especially playing football, and his inseparable love. In a previous interview with a reporter from Beijing Youth Daily, Zheng Zhi said, "As long as the national team or Chinese football needs me for a day, no matter what role I play, I will not hesitate to plunge in." ”
In fact, after the Abu Dhabi game four and a half years ago, Zheng Zhi, as a player, has basically faded out of the national team lineup. The reason why the then coach Lippi insisted on taking Zheng Zhi to the 2022 Qatar World Preliminary Tournament was more about his leadership temperament and role, after all, Captain Zheng could build a good communication bridge between the Chinese members of the coaching team, coaches and players, and could also be used as a loving disciple for many years to assist the coach to instill technical and tactical concepts for the whole team more accurately. In addition, during the Qatar World Preliminary Round of 40, although Zheng Zhi did not have the opportunity to participate, he wore a team vest for a considerable part of the game - if there is an accident or need in the game, then Zheng Zhi can stand up at any time and return to the center of the venue.
The performance of the Chinese team in the international arena in recent years can be described as deteriorating, and the reason is that many people in the industry have sighed that "Zheng Zhi is no one replaced". Indeed, in the originally narrow space for material selection, there are not many malleable talents who can meet the Chinese team's response to major international competitions, and it is even more difficult to find core players like Zheng Zhi who can carry on the ups and downs and turn the tide. Zheng Zhi did not retire until the age of 43, which is his great personal honor, but it also shows the embarrassment of the serious lack of talent in the national football team from one side.
Zheng Zhi did not break his word, even if the Guangzhou team, which he has played for many years, has been relegated to the Chinese League One, even if he has become a teacher at the Guangzhou Sports Institute, he still maintains the hot emotions for football, especially the national team. In fact, whether it is assisting famous coaches Lippi and Scolari in the national team or club, or cooperating with big brother Li Xiaopeng (former national football manager), Zheng Zhi will not hesitate to top as long as he is called by the Chinese team. In the words of the Chinese Football Association and relevant people of the national team, "Such a role model player, there is no reason why we should not give Zheng Zhi a decent retirement ceremony." ”
It is understood that the reason why Zheng Zhi's retirement activity was arranged before the China-Myanmar competition on the 16th was because the national team had not participated in any competition in the mainland for more than two years before being affected by objective factors. In addition, until November 2021, Zheng Zhi also entered the registration lineup of the top 40 national football team away to Syria as a player. And that match was also the last time Zheng Zhi signed up for the competition as an international footballer.
It is understood that during the retirement event, the Chinese Football Association and the Chinese team will present Zheng Zhifeng with a special jersey printed on 108 times in recognition of his 108 appearances for the national football team. The data shows that Zheng Zhi has made a total of 108 appearances for the national football team, thus ranking 5th in the national battlefield list, and Li Weifeng (112 games), Zhu Bo (111 games), Fan Zhiyi (110 games), Gao Lin (109 games) in front of him are Li Weifeng (112 games), Zhu Bo (111 games), Gao Lin (109 games). Zheng Zhi has made 98 starts and scored 15 goals for the national football team. It is a shame that during his time playing for the national football team, Zheng Zhi only received 15 yellow cards, and the only red card appeared in the final round of the Russian World Preliminary Tournament against Qatar, and he was forced to pull down the opponent's attacking player who had a single chance because of his active defense.
Text/Beiqing Sports Xiao Zhao