In the vibrant and passionate green stage of the Chinese Super League, December 31, 2024, marked a poignant pause, as two stars from the 80s generation - Beijing Guoan's Yu Dabao and Shanghai Shenhua's Cao Yunding - bid farewell to the field where they had shed countless sweat and left many memories, like meteors fading into the night sky.
Yu Dabao, at the age of 36, reached the end of his career. At that moment, Beijing Guoan, like a deeply affectionate guardian, officially announced his retirement, as if solemnly holding a farewell ceremony for a companion of many years.
And Guoan's teammates also sent heartfelt blessings to Cao Yunding in their own ways on social media, as if using these warm words to weave a touching ending for the time they spent together. Lin Liangming and Yu Dabao share a similar and storied past; they embarked on a journey of European training together, chasing their football dreams in foreign lands, and after returning to China, they served Dalian before reuniting at Beijing Guoan. Lin Liangming's words, "Those who like Guoan and pay attention to youth training will still see you 'every day,'" continue to resonate among fans. Other forwards such as Wang Ziming, Fang Hao, and He Yupeng also sent their blessings, which, when combined, undoubtedly prove that Yu Dabao was like a warm sun in winter within the Guoan team, winning recognition and affection from everyone around him with his enthusiasm and sincerity. This good people's edge is like a lush tree deeply rooted within the team.
On the other hand, Cao Yunding's retirement process resembled a somewhat cold solo drama. First, he announced his retirement himself, followed by the Shanghai Shenhua official Weibo account, which seemed to lag behind like an accompanying rhythm. After all, he had served Shenhua for a full 14 years, which should have been a bustling and teammate-filled farewell filled with blessings. However, when we tried to find interactions from current Shenhua players on social media, we found very few.
After Cao Yunding announced his retirement, Wu Lei spoke up first, stating that Cao Yunding was the most talented player he had ever seen, with the best combination of man and ball. Wu Lei's recognition shone like the brightest star in the night sky, adding a unique and precious luster to Cao Yunding's football career in this somewhat dim retirement atmosphere, reminding people of his amazing moments on the field. Although in the hearts of Shenhua fans, Cao Yunding is ranked third among the stars, at this farewell moment, compared to the excitement and reluctance of past star retirements, it still feels like something is missing in the热烈氛围, as if his departure is just a quiet goodbye.