Chengdu Rongcheng Football Club put on a spectacular performance at Phoenix Mountain last night with a 3-1 win over Shenzhen Xinpeng City, equalling their record of five consecutive Super League wins in team history, with 40,521 fans witnessing the spectacular scene. The popularity of such a popular tournament is evident in the fact that tickets were sold out in less than three minutes. But today's protagonist is not the stars or the sweaty players, but Zhang Gaohua, a special fan – a football fan who is completely blind.
Zhang Gaohua, a Chengdu Rongcheng superfan who is blind due to congenital glaucoma, although he can't see the grass and trees on the field, he enjoys the passion and joy of football through his other senses. His love for football comes from the influence of his father, who is an authentic football fan, and took him to watch the game of Sichuan Quanxing when he was a child, although he could not see it clearly, but the atmosphere on the field and the shouts of the fans have deeply planted the seeds of passion.
For him, football is not just a game, but an attitude towards life. Zhang Gaohua, who works at a hospital integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine in Sichuan's Tianfu New District, transforms into a superfan every match day. In last night's game, although he was present in person, he "watched" the game by ear and heart. Every goal of Chengdu Rongcheng made him jump with excitement, and every successful defense made him clench his fists nervously.
On the field, Jian Tao, the goalkeeper of Chengdu Rongcheng, temporarily came to support the team as a spectator due to injury. After learning that there was such a special fan, he did not hesitate and offered to explain the game for Zhang Gaohua. You can imagine the scene where a national goalkeeper whispers every detail of the game in your ear, which is not only a commentary, but also a visual feast transformed into an auditory feast.
Zhang Gaohua is grateful for this unique experience: "I can feel the enthusiasm and professionalism of Comrade Jian Tao, he not only tells me who controls the ball and who passes the ball, but even describes every offensive and defensive transition vividly, making me feel as if I can see every action on the court." Last night, Chengdu Rongcheng's three goals seemed to unfold in front of Zhang Gaohua's eyes, his heart flew with the flight of the ball, and every suspense on the goal line made him nervous to the point of shortness of breath.
In addition to the excitement on the court, Zhang Gaohua's presence was a challenge in itself. The 58-kilometer journey from Tianfu New Area to Phoenix Mountain Sports Park is not easy for visually impaired people like Zhang Gaohua. He is usually accompanied by a classmate with slightly better eyesight, and the two overcome various difficulties along the way. From the bus to the subway, from transfer to walking, every link requires a lot of patience and courage.
Luckily, Chengdu's public transport has been of great help. When the subway station staff saw Zhang Gaohua alone, they would always offer help to ensure that he arrived at his destination safely. "The service of Chengdu Metro is really personal, and their help has greatly reduced the stress of my journey. Zhang Gaohua is grateful for this.
Once on-site, more volunteers and staff relay to make sure they find their seats and settle in. Although he couldn't see it, Zhang Gaohua could feel every bit of enthusiasm on the court and hear every shout, which deeply touched his heart.
Zhang Gaohua's story tells us that football doesn't need eyes, it only needs a loving heart. In his own way, he proved that even if you are completely blind, you can enjoy football. He hopes that through his own efforts, he can encourage more visually impaired friends to go out of the house and feel the passion and charm of football at the venue.
"Every shout, every clapping on the pitch is the best support for our special fans. Zhang Gaohua said that he will continue to support Chengdu Rongcheng, not only because of football, but also because of the spirit of perseverance and not giving up, which is not only needed on the field, but also in everyone's life. His story is not only about football, but also about the love and perseverance of life.