【Women's football visit in Europe】Shen Mengyu / Shen Monroe: Sisters and flowers breaking into Su Super League are the best companions

In March 2023, I embarked on a journey to Europe, where I visited six female Chinese footballers who played in Europe. They are the representatives of the Chinese women's football craze in the ocean, and their courage to go out is also inspiring many girls with football dreams. I tried to understand all the joys and hardships of their lives abroad, hoping to record them. Their experience in the ocean does not determine whether the Chinese women's football team can rise because of this, but at least their experience, whether good or bad, will become part of their growth experience, and may also help the girls who go out in the future.

Written by/Zhang Nan

"Hey! Champion +1, thank you all for your support, I will continue to work hard! ”

On the sidelines of the Scottish Cup final, Shen Mengyu happily said to the camera with the gold medal. This is her second title in Scotland, and she took a group photo with her "sister" Shen Monroe after the game. It is best for two people to live overseas together, to work hard together for the honor they have worked together, and to share together.

The warmth of the club made Shen Mengyu quickly integrate

Since they were young, they have entered the national junior team all the way to the national youth team, experienced many major competitions, and they have always had a broad vision, always looking forward to the outside world. "We played in different countries, played against different teams and were exposed to different teams. Maybe we will be more receptive to playing overseas. Shen Mengyu's group of players not only received more international training since they were young, but also read more books and learn more has always been a requirement from the time when the old female football player Gao Hong led them.

After coming to Scotland to play football, you can often see Shen Mengyu giving interviews in English, and even have a dialogue program with men's football goalkeeper Joe Hart, and the two exchange English topics with Scottish accents. Therefore, the education when they were young not only broadened their horizons and understanding of the world, but also helped them lay a good language foundation in advance. This is also the most important step in overseas football.

Shen Mengyu has always been very brave in the game Photo/Zhang Nan

"Because I've always wanted to see the outside world, and it just so happened that the Celtics suddenly had this opportunity, and by chance I wanted to join this team." In 2021, everything went naturally, and Shen Mengyu seized the opportunity to stay in the ocean.

At that time, it was still under the epidemic, and it was difficult to be accompanied to Scotland, and she came to Glasgow alone with her courage. Fortunately, everything in the club did not make her feel lonely in the slightest. After getting off the plane, the club will arrange for someone to pick you up. The club originally had sponsors from local universities, so their accommodation was also arranged in the university dormitory.

Shen Mengyu now thinks back as if he had never come to the Celtic club, and he had not yet cried because of the difficulties in life. When she first arrived at the club, she was led by two teammates, which made her forget about loneliness in an instant. "I'm a very simple person, that loneliness has been good for me, and I've adapted to being alone over the years, plus living with my teammates. In addition to competition training, we also have dinner and everyone makes appointments to go to some places. This is the best way to deal with loneliness. Shen Mengyu has had two beautiful dimples since she was a child, and all the cheerfulness makes her easily integrate into the unfamiliar environment.

But there will always be some difficulties that she has to bite the bullet to adapt. Although her previous training teammates and coaches took good care of her, there are a lot of real difficulties to deal with when she really stands on the field - such as starting a game for the first time.

Shen Mengyu still remembers her first start, and she was so nervous that she stood on the sidelines. She expressed the nervousness in her heart to her teammate, who had a good relationship with her, and her teammate kept reassuring her: "It's okay, you're good." Just let go and enjoy the game. ”

It was with the encouragement of his teammates that Shen Mengyu made his debut in the Su Super League. This is how I began to integrate into the local life.

Today, she has played for Celtic for two seasons and won two cups. She also scored a goal for the team in the Women's Scottish Cup final last season.

Shen Monroe's trip to Europe set sail lonely but firm

Shen Monroe was the first player in this batch of messages to go out, and her choice that year was in Portugal. Unlike Shen Mengyu, the language environment of Portugal is more difficult to integrate than English-speaking countries, both in terms of training and life.

Getting this opportunity to play football in Portugal was also the fulfillment of her previous dream of going to the world. "In fact, I think every player should have the dream of wanting to go out and play, and now European and American football is developing so fast, so I want to go out to see and learn more to improve myself."

But Portugal's overseas career still left some regrets for Shen Monroe. As soon as she joined Sporting Portugal, she suffered injury problems and spent most of her time recovering. When she finally got back in the team, her position was very competitive. So, she decisively chose to cancel the contract with the club, and dragged six or seven bags to Ollen Athletic. However, when he got there, he encountered the coach's lack of attention and finally waited for a left-back position. Although it wasn't the position she knew best, she had a chance to play. It was only later, finally gaining the trust of the coach, that he returned to the position of left midfielder. In her first year in Europe, 19-year-old Shen Monroe endured too much alone.

Young Shen Monroe held up the team's offensive banner Photo/Zhang Nan

When she moved from Lisbon to the small town of Oren, she was looking forward to it, thinking that what awaited her was a quiet life like Lisbon and a match that would soon have the opportunity to play. But when she got there, the actual situation was too different from her previous expectations, which would also make her more sad. "Sometimes it's just suddenly sensitive, or a little sad when you're feeling down." But Shen Monroe's life alone in Portugal is more intense and fulfilling.

Two hours of training a day, the whole rhythm is more intense than the domestic rhythm. But at the end of the training, all the time is at your disposal. Buying groceries, cooking, and learning languages in the supermarket, she enjoys living alone.

Similarly, for Shen Monroe, coming to play in a foreign country worries her the most about how to integrate into the team in the fastest time. "Before I went to Portugal, I was still quite worried, afraid that my ability would not be able to keep up, and even worried that I would not be able to keep up with the pace of others abroad, and my ability would regress. But in fact, it is normal to have this kind of thinking, and I often chat with friends in China, on the one hand, to relieve my own pressure, on the other hand, to find confidence for myself. "She has a mature mind beyond her age, and perhaps this is a big part of what makes her strong in Europe."

The "sisters" finally traveled together in Glasgow

After a tumultuous year in Portugal, Shen Monroe said that she came to Glasgow with a much better mentality.

Speaking of this, Shen Mengyu smiled and said, "Isn't it because of me?" The two smiled gladly.

Many people think that the two are sisters because of their names. But they are indeed unrelated, but they seem to be related sisters. In addition, they are both affiliated with the same brokerage company, and the relationship between the two has always been very familiar. In the second half of 2022, Shen Monroe was awarded a two-year contract with Celtic. And Shen Mengyu also gained a foothold here with his excellent performance in his first season. The sisters were finally reunited in Glasgow, living in an apartment and continuing their "overseas" life.

Accompany each other to achieve a better self Photo/Zhang Nan

Celtic Club has always been an open and international club, with many overseas players in the team, both men's and women's teams, and the men's football team has many players from Japan and South Korea. The whole team has a lot of Asian elements and is a very inclusive club.

And this team originally has a very good history in Glasgow, and it is also supported by very die-hard fans. Both club culture and fan culture deeply attract them.

After arriving at Celtic, Shen Monroe felt that the coach could unlock her manual correctly, although she was not at her best when she first arrived. But a steady appearance is the biggest recognition of her.

However, everything still did not go so smoothly. Less than halfway through the season, Shen Monroe was injured by a teammate during a training session, but fortunately it was just in time for the Christmas holidays, giving her time to recover. "When I first came to the team, my main purpose was to adapt to the way the team plays. Just adapted, got hurt. It was good to have a month off for me to recover. Of course, the most reassuring thing for her is to have Shen Mengyu by her side, "Mengyu has been here longer, and there is a lot of experience to share with me." ”

Daily training of the two Photo/Zhang Nan

When there is no training, the two will study meals together and go to the supermarket. They also make appointments to sit in cafes, clean up in the dormitory, read books and study together. Shen Monroe previously practiced cooking skills in Portugal, and when she learned to cook online, she would make it for Mengyu. Now Shen Mengyu's stomach has been raised back to the Chinese stomach by Monroe. They have never been in the kitchen before, but now they basically have ingredients and can make a decent dish. Even Shen Mengyu felt that Monroe's cooking skills were really a must.

On the day of Chinese New Year's Eve this year, Mengyu and Monroe also wrapped dumplings in the dormitory, although the two southern girls were the first time to wrap, but at least one by one the "little ingots" pinched like a look, and they were counted as having a reunion year together.

After Christmas, Shen Mengyu continued to maintain a good state, and Shen Monroe, who returned from injury, was like a divine help, and her condition was greatly improved. Not only became the attacking core of the team's wing, but also began to contribute goals to the team. In the away game against Hamilton Girls in early March, both men scored goals, and joked after the game because they were not ready, or they could set a celebratory gesture that belonged only to two people.

To grow up in the ocean is to make yourself more independent and stronger

Looking back now, if he continues to play in China, Mengyu and Monroe should be regarded as relatively young players of the club. Since childhood, he has been in the system, and the food, housing and travel teams are arranged very properly, and there are also large team members to take care of. But to choose to come out is to face more unprecedented challenges.

"I feel like coming out of my heart is stronger. And I found that I could take good care of myself and didn't need someone else to take care of me. Physically I have become stronger, but the biggest change is internally. Shen Mengyu commented.

Playing football overseas makes them more independent Photo/Zhang Nan

And Shen Monroe also thinks that her independent side may not have been thought of before going abroad. "In the past two years, I feel that I have more ideas about things, I feel that I have always been on the road, and I have experienced a lot." Shen Monroe has a habit of recording and will record her experiences and thoughts like a diary every half month. She said that because of what she experienced alone in Portugal before, she grew up in the grind, and all the good and bad things, she wanted to record and become her driving force. "I have always told myself that since I came out, I must have a beginning and an end, and I hope that I can have a good future in the future."

Come out and see the world. This is the reason why the two girls made their decision early. Not to mention whether playing abroad can really change the future of Chinese women's football, it is that the overseas life they face alone may turn away some people who cannot live independently. "Going abroad to play football is a very necessary thing for the Chinese women's football team, but we do not encourage others to come out and play, we must make decisions based on our own situation." Shen Mengyu thinks so.

Only people who know themselves well know whether playing abroad is the best option. At least Shen Monroe thinks so. "The word ability is difficult to explain, what kind of talent is good ability, what kind of ability is not good? I think that many people's abilities in China may not be discovered for the time being, but they may also have great potential. Therefore, Shen Monroe feels that it is most important to come out and re-recognize herself, know her shortcomings, and make better career planning for the future.

People who can succeed clearly know how to reflect on themselves, have a long-term goal, and know how to plan for their future.

So for the two girls, they only hope that their current life in the ocean can be down-to-earth. For the upcoming Women's World Cup, I can use enough ability to play for my country. Make yourself stronger, whether it is ability or psychology, this is the goal of the two girls for their stay in the ocean.