Spark Cup: The Guizhou Youth Returning Home in Glory

Reported by Chen Yong Being selected for the regional youth training center selection team and then coming back to play in his hometown is a great honor and delight for a Guizhou teenage footballer.

In the second round of the Spark Cup, the Chinese Football Association Regional Youth Training Center (Chengdu) U14 Selection Team (referred to as the "Chengdu Regional Selection Team") beat Vietnam's Van Xuan Youth Training Center 8-0. After the match, Zhong Yuanchen, who scored twice, was invited by the match supervisor. He was named the best player of the game and needed to attend the awards ceremony and give an interview.

His father, Zhong Hanlin, had been watching his son's match. As Zhong Yuanchen walked past, he patted his son on the shoulder and followed behind him. When Zhong Yuanchen held up the best player certificate, he also captured a precious memory. Although Zhong Yuanchen comes from Chongqing Nanyu Middle School, he is a true Guiyang native. This time, returning to play in his hometown, his parents naturally could watch his entire match. In the Chengdu Regional Selection Team, there are three other Guiyang kids: Xing Qiancheng, who wears jersey number 4; Wei Junyu, who wears number 9; and Li Yizheng, who wears number 14. Especially Xing Qiancheng, he looks like a typical Guizhou child. Their parents also came to the sidelines to watch the game.

Wei Junyu and Zhong Yuanchen are currently playing football in Chongqing. Wei Junyu is at the High School Affiliated to Southwest University, and Zhong Yuanchen's Nanyu Middle School is a member school of the Chongqing Nankai High School Education Group. Chongqing Nankai High School won the runner-up in the Men's U17 Group of the China Youth Football League in the 2025 season. These two players were also sent to the Chengdu Regional Youth Training Center by the Chongqing Youth Training Center, while Xing Qiancheng and Li Yizheng were sent by the Guizhou Provincial Youth Training Center to the Chengdu Regional Youth Training Center.

In the first round, the Chengdu Regional Selection Team faced Thailand's Pattaya United. Zhong Yuanchen started as a midfielder. In this second-round match, all four Guizhou players started. Wei Junyu opened the scoring, and Zhong Yuanchen scored the fourth and fifth goals for the Chengdu Regional Selection Team. The first match was the team's debut since formation, and they were clearly nervous and lacked cohesion. In the second match, the Chengdu Regional Selection Team performed better and showed their true strength. The opponents' strategies also differed. After taking the lead, Pattaya United pulled back completely, while Van Xuan Youth Training Center conceded early and then kept attacking, giving the Chengdu Regional Selection Team more space.

"We were still a bit nervous in the first match; I felt like no one played to their potential. After that first game, this match went very smoothly." Holding the best player certificate, Zhong Yuanchen was very happy. He also said that returning to his hometown to play felt great and the pitch conditions were excellent. Of course, needless to say, the cool weather in Guizhou was a blessing—the temperature in Qingzhen was 24°C during the match, while Chongqing was 32°C at the same time.

Zhong Hanlin teaches at the Second Experimental Primary School of Guiyang City, which has produced famous players such as Xie Pengfei, Chen Zhongliu, Yi Teng, and Xiang Hantian. Zhong Yuanchen started playing football with his father when he was 5 years old, and continued until he went to Chongqing at age 12. "Now that my son has grown up, I certainly can't coach him anymore. Besides, kids should listen to their coaches, and he now has better coaches," Zhong Hanlin said. When asked about his expectations for his son, he said, "The future path is his to walk. In my opinion, he is very intelligent on the field and adaptable to many positions, but he doesn't fight hard enough—that's an area I think he can improve. I hope he can give 100% of his energy."