Reporter Wang Wei reports On January 8, Shenzhen Youth Football Club officially announced the addition of 37-year-old goalkeeper Cheng Yuelei. In 2009, 22-year-old Cheng Yuelei joined the then Shenzhen team from Beijing Guoan, from the starting goalkeeper of the Shenzhen team to the main goalkeeper of Guangzhou R&F, and then to play in Meizhou Hakka, Cheng Yuelei played in Guangdong's top league team for 16 seasons. After coming full circle, he is now back in Shenzhen to continue his 17th season with the Guangdong professional team.

Returning to Shenzhen is actually a homecoming for Cheng Yuelei, because his family is in Shenzhen, "When I received the invitation from the young people in Shenzhen, we confirmed the transfer within three days. I would like to thank the Youth Club for recognizing me, the many clubs in Guangdong Province that have accompanied me all the way, and thank you for the luck that has always favored me! Cheng Yuelei said.

◆Football: Congratulations, back to Shenzhen to play football, why did you choose to join Shenzhen Youth?

Cheng Yuelei: Since Shenzhen young people had the opportunity to be recruited to the Chinese League, the club has long had the idea of bringing in an experienced goalkeeper. Zou Hongjie, the assistant coach of the youth, used to work in the Guangzhou R&F coaching staff, and the youth coaching staff considered me when communicating with me and felt that I was suitable for the team. Then they contacted me and we came to an agreement and the transfer was confirmed in three days. At that time, I started my professional football career in Shenzhen, and I was able to play in the Chinese Super League because Shenzhen gave me the opportunity. I also hope to do my part for Shenzhen football and continue to make a little contribution to Shenzhen football.

◆What is the special significance for you to return to Shenzhen to play?

My wife is from Shenzhen, and now my children are also studying in Shenzhen, so it is a great thing to have the opportunity to go home and play football this time, on the one hand, to contribute to the team in Shenzhen, and on the other hand, to spend more time with my family. In fact, professional football players owe more to their families, and most of the time is spent training and commuting to and from various places, and spending less time with their families. Now it's a great happiness for me to be able to play football at home and go home and eat with my family after training every day.

◆Before joining Shenzhen Youth, did other Chinese Super League teams approach you?

There were indeed a few Chinese Super League teams who approached me before, but after comprehensive consideration, I didn't want to be too far away from home, so I chose Shenzhen youth, maybe I am a person who takes care of my family. Of course, the main thing is that Shenzhen young people have a long-term plan and are a relatively stable club, and they hope to do a good job in the club slowly and want to move to a higher platform. I also hope to use my experience to help the team when they first arrive.

◆As the team's big brother, what role do you hope to play in the Shenzhen Youth Team?

Before joining, Li Chunhao, the general manager of the youth club, communicated with me the original intention and plan of the team, and the investors of the club very much want to make their own contributions to Shenzhen football, hoping that the children cultivated by Shenzhen football can have a good professional league platform in this city and gradually make the club bigger and stronger, I think this concept is very good. As the older player in the team, I want to pass on the experience I have accumulated over the years to my teammates and help them grow faster.

◆Did you share anything with your teammates during this time?

After training, I often communicate with my teammates, and this is when they tend to understand the most. In addition, young players often encounter problems that they have not encountered in training, and they may not be very reasonable in dealing with them, so I will communicate with them after they come down. Young players can only grow better if they really experience it themselves.

◆"Football": Most of the players introduced by Shenzhen youth this year have Shenzhen elements, some are trained from Shenzhen campus football, some are from Shenzhen youth training, and some have played in the old Shenzhen team like you. What do you think of the team's approach?

Cheng Yuelei: The club's investors hope to create a better professional competition platform for children growing up in Shenzhen, and the team has played from the China Champions League to the Chinese League in the past two years. After coming to the Chinese Football League, the club hopes that Shenzhen football teenagers can come back to play for Shenzhen and make more contributions to Shenzhen football. Such a concept will attract more local fans to support Shenzhen football.

◆What do you think is the difference between joining Shenzhen Youth this time and when you joined the Shenzhen team at the age of 22?

The players of Shenzhen Youth are relatively young, and most of the players have not played in the Chinese League or higher, and participating in the Chinese League is a new attempt for them. They are about the same age as when I came to Shenzhen to play in 2009, when I had the opportunity to show on the Chinese Super League platform, and then I seized the opportunity step by step to get to where I am today. Hopefully, our young players can take advantage of the opportunity to show themselves and take themselves to a higher platform.

◆You have been teammates with young assistant coaches Wen Chao, Xiang Jun, Ren Peng and others before, what are your special feelings about reuniting with them as a player this time?

It's a pleasure to be together with them as a young person, and it's nice to be able to work together even though it's been so many years. We used to train and play together, we played together, we were very familiar, and it's still the same as before. Including the young players who used to play in the R&F echelon, such as Wen Yongjun, Chen Yajun, Chen Zirong, Zheng Zhiming and others, they are also playing in young people now, and everyone is more familiar with them. and Xie Baoxian and Mai Sijin, who played in the Shenzhen team before, also know each other. Now we all play together and have a common goal, which is to get good results for the team.

◆Football: The 2025 season is very special for Shenzhen football, there will be different Shenzhen teams appearing in the Chinese Super League, China League A, China B and China Champions League at the same time, do you think Shenzhen football has returned to the track of benign development?

Cheng Yuelei: After the dissolution of Shenzhen Kaisa, other teams in Shenzhen slowly grew up. Shenzhen is a very attractive big city, as long as there is time to accumulate, it will definitely produce results.

◆Even though you're 37 years old, you've been in great shape in the goalkeeping position, how do you do that?

I have been playing in the Chinese Super League for so many years, and I have experienced coaches like Eriksen and Stojkovic, and I have received high-level training for a long time. In addition, the goalkeeper coach who took me before was strict, and I practiced hard, and my foundation was relatively good, which continued my football career well.

◆In the past two years, you have played two seasons in Meizhou Hakka in the Chinese Super League, what kind of impression has Meizhou football left on you?

Meizhou Wuhua is a very good football city, and my father-in-law is a Chinese national, so it is very happy to play in Meizhou Hakka. Moreover, the fans in Meizhou are very enthusiastic and often go to the team base to watch our training and support us. I would like to take the opportunity of this interview with "Football" to thank Meizhou fans, especially Wuhua fans, for their support to the Meizhou Hakka team, and thank Meizhou fans for their care and support to me in the past two years.

My professional football career is relatively lucky, starting from Shenzhen, and then playing in Guangzhou R&F, after the dissolution of Guangzhou R&F, I was able to go to the Chinese Super League team Meizhou Hakka, and after playing in Meizhou Hakka for two years, I can return to Shenzhen, this journey is relatively smooth. I would like to thank the people who have helped me all these years and thank the lucky ones for taking care of me.

◆What are your expectations for the upcoming new season?

When the club management communicated with me, I also expressed my thoughts, this year is the first year of the team in the Chinese League, many young players have not participated in this level of competition, we still have to play steadily. In the first year, the team must first establish a firm foothold in the Central League, and then slowly move to a higher platform. If a club wants to develop steadily for a long time, it needs to move forward one step at a time. The league is a more professional league platform, and the team must continue to find problems, correct problems, and develop healthily.

◆What are your plans for the future?

Now train with all your might, and then play well to help Shenzhen young people gain a firm foothold in the Chinese League.