Chinese goalkeeper Zhu Yu speaks to reporters ahead of a training session in Adelaide, Australia on July 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Dongxing)
Chinese goalkeeper Zhu Yu acknowledges that European teams like England and Denmark have physical edge, but she has vowed to protect her team at the FIFA Women's World Cup.
ADELAIDE, Australia, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese goalkeeper Zhu Yu hopes to contribute to the national team's success in her first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup, which begins next week.
The Chinese team, who reached the round of 16 in the 2019 World Cup, arrived in Gold Coast on Wednesday for a warm-up match against Brazil. Brazil is currently ranked eighth in the world, six places higher than China.
Before departing from the team's base camp in Adelaide, Zhu, who is set to make her World Cup debut, expressed her excitement in an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday. She mentioned that playing in the quadrennial event is every footballer's dream.
"I still remember the day when the roster was announced; it felt like a dream come true. I was extremely happy," said the 25-year-old.
"At this World Cup, my goal is to implement head coach Shui Qingxia's tactical philosophy and perform well. We don't want to disappoint our fans because they truly support us."
The 2023 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20. China, having secured the Asian Cup title last year, is placed in Group D alongside England, Denmark, and Haiti.
Zhu played a crucial role in the team's Asian Cup victory, earning the best goalkeeper award. During the semifinal against Japan in February last year, China fought back twice to level the score at 2-2 after extra time. Zhu saved two penalties during the shootout and led the Steel Roses to a stunning comeback victory.
However, Zhu acknowledged that European teams like England and Denmark have physical advantages, which pose a threat to her team's defense on the world stage.
"From the beginning of our preparations for the World Cup, we have recognized that European teams have the upper hand in terms of physicality. Strengthening our physical training has been one of our main focuses," explained Zhu.
"You can see that we have improved significantly. However, there is still a gap when playing against European teams. I will do my best to support my teammates in front of the goal."
As a goalkeeper, Zhu revealed that her favorite goalkeeper in the world is Ederson from the Premier League club Manchester City.
"He possesses both physical strength and good reflexes, which are important qualities that I aim to learn from," Zhu commented.
"Through recent warm-up matches, I hope to adapt to the World Cup more quickly by improving my rhythm and speed." ■
