"007: Goldeneye", grace kelly, as well as the Monte Carlo International Circus festival, Charles Leclerc and the young Andrien Mbappe...
These seemingly unrelated people and things are actually hidden in a fascinating intersection - the Principality of Monaco. Although it is the second smallest country in the world in terms of land area and a population of only 38,000, it is neither lacking in world-renowned business cards nor shackled by geographical conditions, and has maintained friendly relations with China thousands of miles away for 26 years.
Eleven years ago, the Shanghai World Expo, with a construction area of 2,000 square meters, became a brilliant stage for Monaco to show the past and the future. And now, once again, in Shanghai, the exclusive exhibition area of Monaco Football Club at the China International Import Expo will make this pocket country more contemporary connection with China.
From November 5th to 10th, Monaco Football Club, founded in 1924 at the Shanghai National Exhibition and Convention Center, will tell the indissoluble relationship with the Land of China at the all-encompassing Expo, and also present expectations for future cooperation and linkage.
Two years ago, President Xi Jinping personally went to Monaco to hold talks with Prince Albert II of Monaco. It was the first visit of a Chinese president to Monaco and was warmly welcomed by the royal family, government and people. As an old friend of ours, Prince Albert II has visited China 10 times, including the Scene of the Beijing Olympic Games, the Shanghai World Expo, the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games and the Beijing World Athletics Championships, and he has sent good wishes to the Chinese people. The exchanges between China and Morocco at the levels of environmental protection, telecommunications, mobile payment and sports have been at the forefront of China-EU cooperation.
F1 Grand Prix, Formula E, Monte Carlo Rally, Monte Carlo Masters, Marathon... Among Monaco's various sports cards, Monaco Football Club, which was designed by Princess Grace Kelly, is undoubtedly the most well-known existence by domestic fans. From Wenger, Puer, Deschamps, Jardin and Nick Kovac to Djokov, Trezeguet, Gyuli, Thierry Henry, James Rodriguez, Martial and Mbappe, domestic fans have witnessed too many stars in the "Principality" year after year.
To date, Monaco have won the French First Division 8 times and the French Cup five times. The champions league record includes runners-up in 2003-04 and the final four in 1993-1994 and 2016-17. You know, Fabinho, Bernardo Silva, Bakayoko, Lemar and Mbappe, who helped Monaco knock out the Lienk giants in the Champions League five years ago, were all called up by other giants shortly after.
In the last five seasons, the average age of Monaco's first team is 22.5 years, 22.4 years, 24.3 years old, 23 years old and 24.2 years old, often making it one of the youngest teams in france and even in the five major leagues in Europe. It can be said that while they are at the top of the Ligue 1 standings, they also adhere to the golden sign of the Young Guards. In the annual ranking of training centers published by the French Football Association, Monaco clubs have long been at the top of the list and have never fallen out of the top five.
The consistent emphasis on youth training and the ability to excavate and cultivate talents with strong bodies are the important support for the red and white teams to stride forward. In May of this year, club Monaco released a new brand slogan - rise. risk. repeat.“ rise. fearless. Unswerving." It shows the talent, fearlessness and tenacity of this team of youth.
It is worth mentioning that the new Monaco also upgraded this summer, ushering in a new generation of training centers that cost 55 million euros after two years and eight months of basic construction. In this 5-hectare base camp, 3 high-standard professional stadiums, data centers, medical centers, meeting rooms, rehabilitation facilities and living spaces of the Academy of Youth training will be readily available.
In fact, for Chinese football in the process of exploration, the Monaco club that has historically sent 67 international players to the French team is not out of reach: as early as 2007, Monaco u19 played a friendly match with the Chinese Olympic team, which led to the first competitive exchange; in the summer of 2018, the red and white team came to China to participate in the French Super Cup and stepped on the turf of the Shenzhen Universiade Center; all along, the Monaco club hopes to become a bridge for cultural cooperation between China and Morocco, and even Sino-European cooperation. In addition to actively negotiating various forms of in-depth cooperation with the Chinese government, football management institutions at all levels and football clubs - especially the sharing of youth training models and the cultivation of young players, we are also looking forward to exchanges with the Chinese national team. In this context, Monaco's first overseas branch in the history of the club set up in China also shows full sincerity and vision. Oleg Petrov, vice president and CEO of the club, said: "Monaco Football Club attaches great importance to the Chinese market and hopes to participate in the Expo as an opportunity to let more people know the charm of Monaco Football Club. In addition, we also look forward to establishing long-term cooperative relations with Chinese government agencies and enterprises to continue to write a new chapter for the in-depth cultural exchanges between China and Moldova. ”
Take football as a bridge, take friendship as the foundation, and cooperate as a win.
With the World Expo and the Ciie as a ceremonial development node, the story of Monaco and China has just begun.