Reporter Wang Wei reports In 2016, 29-year-old Zimbabwean player Mushekwe came to China's professional league and played for nine years.

On December 24 last year, Mu Xie Kui signed a contract with Dalian Kuncheng, a new team in the Chinese league, and returned to Bincheng after five and a half years to join the second Dalian team of his career. This is a warm and exciting news for Dalian fans, when Mu Xiekui in the Dalian team and the team rushed to the top and relegation together, his tenacious struggle, the spirit of fighting for Dalian football moved Dalian fans, and he was also regarded as a city hero by Dalian fans.

2025 will be Musekwe's 10th year in the Chinese professional league, and he has repeatedly expressed his desire to retire in Dalian, which is now a real possibility.

Dalian fans like to call Mu Xie Kui "Da Kui", and among the foreign players who play in the Chinese Football League, Da Kui can be called a phenomenal existence. In the past nine years, Mu Xie Kui has helped three teams: Dalian Yifang, Zhejiang Greentown, and Yunnan Yukun to complete the overtaking. He has scored a total of 152 goals in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese First League, which is the most foreign player since the professionalization of Chinese football. In the 2024 season, Mu Xiekui scored 25 goals for Yunnan Yukun and was named the top scorer in the Chinese League.

Recently, Dalian Kuncheng trained in Sanshui, Guangdong, and Mu Xiekui was not only a role model for the team's training, but also a pistachio for the team. Last week, Mushekwe gave an exclusive interview to this newspaper in Sanshui, sharing his story of playing football in China.

◆《Football: Last season, you helped Yunnan Yukun to successfully surpass, you still have a contract with the team, what made you decide to join Dalian Kuncheng?

Musekwe: Mainly because I am nearing the end of my career, I hope that my career will end in Dalian. My Chinese football experience started in Dalian, I am familiar with everything here, I am used to life here, and my family loves the city very much, so I decided to join Dalian Kuncheng.

◆How does it feel for you to play in Dalian again? It is reported that Dalian fans are very happy about your return.

It's great to be back in Dalian, I've played for a long time in the team and made my contribution to the team. I've always had a deep friendship with the fans in Dalian, and I'm really excited to see them again!

◆What kind of support do you hope to bring to the Dalian Kuncheng team?

The new season is coming and I'm very excited. From the moment I came to Dalian Kuncheng, everything here was new to me, new teammates, new coaches, I need to have a new run-in with them, and I hope my arrival can bring a boost to the team. Of course, communicating and cooperating with new teammates is also a process of mutual learning.

◆You have won the Golden Boot of the Chinese League, and last year helped Yunnan Yukun to surpass the success, what is your goal for the upcoming new season of the Chinese League?

This year is the first time Dalian Kuncheng has played in the Chinese League, and it is not easy for everyone, especially for the young players who are growing. So, I want to help the team build a solid foundation first.

◆What kind of memories did this football city in China leave on you?

The most impressive thing is the people there, the people of Dalian are kind, the city of Dalian is very beautiful, everything there is very good!

◆Do you remember where Dalian was? For example, Xinghai Square, Golden State Stadium, etc.

Of course, I am familiar with those places, and I used to walk around the city with my family when I was playing in Dalian. When we come back to Dalian this time, we will definitely go to those places again.

◆Do you eat seafood in Dalian often?

The seafood in Dalian is good, but I don't eat much.

◆Have you already felt welcomed by the Dalian fans?

Of course, Dalian fans have always been in my heart, I can deeply feel their enthusiasm, and I have always wanted to add fire to Chinese football.

◆Football: You will be 38 years old this year, and you easily won the top scorer in the Chinese League last year, what is your secret to maintaining such a good competitive and physical condition at this age?

Mushekwe: I want to thank God for giving me such good luck, maybe I might not be able to play until I am 38 in other leagues. Overall, I think a player needs to take his job seriously, take his job seriously, set certain demands on himself in training, and have a regular diet and that's why I've been able to play so far. I think the most important thing is to be serious about yourself, both physically and mentally, and to be ready for everything.

◆Last season you played very well in Yunnan Yukun, scoring a lot of goals for the team, and finally helping the team to surpass success, what unforgettable memories did Yukun team and the city of Yuxi leave for you?

Although the city of Yuxi is not very big, it is beautiful and has a good climate. The fans at Yuxi are fantastic, and they always support us whether the team is playing well or badly. We were also very lucky at home and didn't lose. At that time, Yukun's squad was very balanced, and the two head coaches at different times brought great help to the team, and the team can be said to have reached a very good form last year.

◆You have also fought in Zhejiang for many years, and Zhejiang fans miss you very much, do you have anything to say to them?

Zhejiang is a great place, Hangzhou is very beautiful and the fans are great. At that time, we fought together from the Chinese League to the Chinese Super League, and we overcame many difficulties and obstacles during this time, which was a rare experience. It is hoped that Zhejiang Greentown can develop in a better direction.

◆Whether it is in Dalian Yifang, Zhejiang Greentown or Yunnan Yukun, you have helped the team to succeed, and you can be called an expert in foreign aid. What are your takeaways?

I think the most important thing is for the whole team to have a unified mindset and move towards the same goal. The success of rushing to the top is not only my own efforts, but also the efforts of everyone.

◆Football: Dalian fans call you a "city hero", what do you think of this title?

Musekwe: Thank you very much for the love of the Dalian fans! When I came to China to play football, I first went to Dalian, then to Zhejiang and Yunnan, and then I came back to Dalian after many years. Next, let's pay attention to Dalian Kuncheng and see what happens to Dalian football, I'm looking forward to it.

◆Many Dalian fans want to know, have you ever bought a house in Dalian? They would love to see you buy a house there and live in Dalian permanently.

I also want to see it in the future, I may buy it, hahaha......

◆Last year, Dalian Ball City created the highest attendance rate of 60,000+ spectators in a single game of the Chinese League, and now that you have joined Kuncheng Club, what are your expectations for the attendance rate of the new season?

Dalian is a football city, and I believe that when the league starts, there will be a lot of people watching the game at the home stadium of Kuncheng. Here I would like to say to the fans of Dalian, I hope that everyone will come to the stadium to support us as before, and we will use 100% of our efforts to dedicate wonderful games for everyone and strive for better results for Dalian football.

◆This year will be your 10th year playing in China, but how do you feel about your 10-year experience?

I'm very grateful to have been able to play in China for so long, I have played in three different places in China, and I have experienced the different customs of this country, and the culture and food in China are very different from my hometown. In the past ten years, Chinese football has left me with many unforgettable memories.

◆You started your Chinese football career in Dalian Yifang and now that you have joined Dalian Kuncheng, will you spend the last days of your career in Dalian?

I really want to play in Dalian until I retire, but now I have to keep pushing forward!

◆If you leave the professional arena in the future, will you continue to work in Chinese football?

I don't know what the future holds, but the first thing I want now is that it's nice to be able to train and compete well at the end of my career and spend the rest of my time with my family. As for what happens in the future, we'll see. I have two sons, the eldest son is 12 years old and the younger son is 2 years old, and they are all lovely. As long as I have time, I want to spend more time with them.