Grass-root rural soccer tournament attracts international attention

In Rongjiang county, southwest China's Guizhou province, villager Yang Zhenjiang, standing in a soccer arena where games of the Village Super League (VSL), a grass-root rural village soccer tournament, are played, showed his photo collection on his phone.

Most of the over 100 photos were passionate foreign soccer players passing, scoring, hugging and dancing.

"They are from Brazil. Former Brazilian soccer star Ricardo Kaka also came to Rongjiang once. The influence of the VSL just got bigger," Yang said.

Former Brazilian soccer star Ricardo Kaka waves to soccer fans in a stadium in Rongjiang county, southwest China's Guizhou province, May 27, 2024. [People's Daily Online/Yang Wenshu]

The VSL, whose appellation was inspired by the Premier League and the Chinese Super League, has been viral across China in recent years. It originated in Rongjiang, a small county nestling deep in the mountains of Guizhou province.

On Oct. 3, Brazil's Sao Paulo higher bridge football team made its debut at the inaugural "Belt and Road" friendly matches hosted by the Guizhou VSL. In the following 25 days, athletes of the team competed in games, tasted local food and experienced local folk customs, embracing up-close the vitality of China's development, the hospitality of the Chinese people and the profoundness of the Chinese culture.

In August this year, head coach of the team Eleazar Villavicencio and team manager Yang Shengjun paid a visit to Rongjiang county. There, they saw the huge potential and broad prospects of China's soccer market.

"Rongjiang is a promising land of soccer. The people here are passionate about soccer, which is similar to Brazil," Yang said.

At 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 3, the Brazilian team stepped onto the field, amid the cheers by over 30,000 spectators. On both sides of the tunnel, cheering squads consisting of local residents, wearing ethnic costumes and silver headpieces, performed ethnic dance to welcome the Brazilian players.

"The vibe was great," Eleazar recalled.

The game was fierce. In the 84th minute, player Ferreira's follow-up shot sealed the victory for the Brazilian team. Brazilian players made samba moves to celebrate the goal. The spectators also cheered for them. Finally, the Brazilian team won the game at 1:0.

As the game ended, spectacular fireworks lit up the sky outside the stadium while festive music filled the arena. The spectators poured into the center of the pitch, forming a circle around the Brazilian players, and everyone joined in dancing with arms around each other's shoulders. The Brazilian players showed off their unique samba moves as everyone shared the joy and friendship that soccer brought.

Chinese and Brazilian players compete in a friendly soccer game hosted by the Village Super League in southwest China's Guizhou province, Oct. 4, 2024. [People's Daily Online/Zhou Guangsheng]

At this moment, soccer became a bridge between the peoples of both nations, and a witness to the reinforced friendship between China and Brazil.

From Oct. 3 to 6, the Brazilian team played three games, scoring eight goals in total. It showcased the unique charm of Brazilian soccer and presented a soccer feast to the spectators.

The inaugural "Belt and Road" friendly matches held in Rongjiang county, was joined by 10 foreign teams. Through soccer, the VSL has become not just an arena for athletic competition, but also a platform for cross-cultural exchange.

Soccer in Rongjiang extends far beyond the VSL. In the 1990s, locals spontaneously organized matches on open-air fields. Today, Rongjiang county boasts 14 standard soccer pitches, 35 registered teams, 14 national-level youth specialist soccer schools, and 41 county-level specialist soccer schools.

"After Eleazar returned to Brazil, we've maintained contact and decided to establish a youth training club in Rongjiang, using Brazilian coaching methods here," said Yang.

He added that with the imminent launch of the Rongjiang youth training club, a group of young Brazilian players will stay in Rongjiang to join games and serve as soccer coaches in primary and secondary schools.

"We hope more children can use their soccer skills as a pathway out of the mountains, to open up more possibilities for their future," said Yang.