Interview with Yunnan Yukun Foreign Aid Nene: With the dream of winning the championship, he is very suitable for life in China

Reporter Zuo Ruiyuxi reports "I want to win the Chinese Super League championship with Yunnan Yukun." Nene wasn't joking when he said that.

The Portuguese midfielder, who is set to celebrate his 30th birthday next month, told Football newspaper with certainty that he has two birthday wishes in China this year: for the family, he wants his daughter, who is only a few months old, to be healthy; As far as career is concerned, his desire for a championship has never gone away because he once had it.

"As a teenager and as an adult, I've tasted trophies in Portugal and Poland, including top-flight titles." The desire for the highest honor of the team has not diminished because of the passage of time. Although Yukun is only a newcomer and the current Chinese Super League ranking is not high, "I have always had the idea of competing for the championship for the team, and I feel that I am not the only one in the team who thinks so." ”

In the first 11 rounds of the Chinese Super League, Nene and Hou Yongyong were the only two players in the team who started every game. Due to his relatively low position on the field, his light is not as bright as the latter, but his role is by no means to go through the motions. The manager's trust is a testament to his offensive and defensive ability and unwavering execution. In the games that have ended, Nene have made 383 passes, which is a far superior statistic for the team, with a pass completion rate of 78%. "My job is more than just passing," he says. "There's a lot to do," he said. I have to defend, I have to be involved in the attack, and I have to do all the other tactical tasks that the manager has given me. ”

Prior to coming to China, Nene spent three seasons in the Polish Super League, contributing 20 goals and 15 assists, winning both the league and Super Cup for Jagiellon. "The requirements of the team were different. Jagiellon wanted me to move more around the opposition box, so I had a lot of chances to fire in front of goal at that time. "As you can see, many times, I have to share the responsibility of defending in the middle with the captain (Zhao Yuhao). "Specifically, playing with Zhao Yuhao, Nene will be relatively focused on attack; Working with Yonicha, his defensive responsibilities will undoubtedly increase, "What we have in common is to be more involved in the fight for the ball and the transition in the game. ”

'If you want to see me score like I did in Poland, I honestly don't know when. As long as the team performs well, he doesn't care if he can win the applause individually, "I feel that after 11 rounds, the overall performance of the team is still very good. There are 19 rounds left in the league, and I hope to continue my good form with everyone and finally achieve a good result. ”

As one of the full-time players, he believes that the team needs to strengthen the defense the most, and he will work harder in this direction. "Sometimes when the whole team presses up, there are some small omissions in the back. If we can do better in this area, we can concede fewer goals and move up the rankings. He said the most commendable thing about the team in the first 11 rounds was that "everyone was riveting and rushing forward very quickly" when the team switched from defense to offense.

Sunday's visit to Tianjin is a special contest for both Yukun and Né. "Because we just won 3-2 at home to Shandong and won a very exciting game. Everyone wants to continue this momentum in Tianjin; For me, the opponent's No. 8 Hadas and I not only know each other, but we play the same position on the field. ”

Ten years ago, Nene and Hadas made their professional debut together in the Portuguese second team Braga B, and after a season, they went their separate ways; This time in the Super League, each for its own master, is also a rare fate. "Tianjin is a very tough, very tough opponent. In the next game I think we have to give our all from the first minute and we have to be mentally ready for 90 minutes. ”

Unlike most of his fellow Grape players, Nene is home in the Azores, a volcanic archipelago in the eastern North Atlantic, 1,600 kilometres from mainland Portugal. Growing up in the Azores, he proved himself on the mainland of his country as an adult, and then established himself in the Polish Super League, "Poland is also another country, another culture, so my decision to come to China this time was not an adventure, but a deliberate decision. ”

It's just that in this transfer, Nene already has a new identity as a "father", so many things must consider family factors. In the past, he was very much in favor of the work-life integration environment, but now that his daughter is still young, after discussing with his wife, they chose to work in Yuxi and live in Kunming. "The children are too young and sometimes need to go to the hospital, and the conditions are better than in Yuxi, so we are very satisfied with the choice we have made and we like to live in China."

When it comes to integrating into life in China, Nene admits that his wife is doing better, and that she already has some friends in Kunming. Because my daughter still needs to be held in my arms all day long, some female companions often come to help, "I also have some friends at home now, and through them I have met some interesting people." ”

When it comes to integrating into the work team, the husband is the more adept party. Because they both speak Portuguese, Brazilian Enrique became his best friend when he first arrived, and now not only do foreign players cherish each other, but he also has formed "deep friendships" with many Chinese teammates.

Talking about the problem that the contact between himself and Enrique on the field is not direct enough and not enough, he said seriously: "Whether it is Oscar, Jonica, or Hou Yongyong. I must see who is in the right position and who is better to pass the ball, so I will choose who to pass the ball to. It's not that because he's Enrique, I'm going to pass it on to him. ”

Nene said he is now comfortable in China, where people are very kind to him. For example, after the club took him to the hospital for treatment, many Portuguese and Chinese friends sent private messages to greet him, "Thank you very much for your concern for me and support for the team." He pointed to his face, "Don't worry, such a small injury will not affect the weekend's game at all." ”