Li Tie has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, a bombshell that has exploded in the football world. This once-promising figure on the football field has now become a prisoner, which is truly disheartening. The revelations from Feng Junyan, the former captain of Evergrande, add an air of mystery to this event. He mentioned details of Li Tie's time at Evergrande, and who would have thought that the once upright Li Tie would end up on such an unexpected path of no return.
Speaking of Li Tie, he was also a star on the field during his playing days, running and fighting for the ball, earning great achievements for the national team. At that time, he was a hero in the hearts of many fans. However, after retiring, he seemed like a changed person.
Looking at Feng Junyan, the meritorious captain of Guangzhou Evergrande, who has been involved with football since childhood, he became an indispensable member of the team with his agile skills and excellent awareness in the midfield. He witnessed and participated in the entire process of Guangzhou Evergrande's rise from the China League One to the Chinese Super League, from obscurity to becoming the four-time Chinese Super League champion, AFC Champions League winner, as well as winning titles in the FA Cup and Super Cup. His presence has been a part of all these glories, making him a legendary figure of the team.
Feng Junyan mentioned that when Li Tie served as an assistant coach at Evergrande, despite being in a strict club environment, Li Tie's behavior was still considered "clean." For example, there was one instance where a friend invited Li Tie to attend a press conference and offered a high reward of 100,000 yuan, which is a considerable temptation for many people. However, Li Tie resolutely declined the invitation due to upcoming team work and even tried to get his friend to change the press conference time, but ultimately failed, leading to a gradual estrangement between the two. This small incident shows that Li Tie could still hold his ground under strict institutional constraints at that time.
At the same time, Feng Junyan also highly praised Xu Jiayin's investment in football, believing that Xu's boldness and determination were crucial in supporting Evergrande's brilliant achievements. Large investments brought significant returns, allowing Guangzhou Evergrande to secure its place in both domestic and Asian football circles. However, Feng Junyan also severely criticized Li Tie's later crimes, considering them a desecration of the football spirit and unforgivable actions.
A commentator from "Football News" pointed out: "Li Tie's fall from a once-prominent football star to a criminal is heart-wrenching. This is not only a personal misstep but also a severe challenge faced by Chinese football in its development process. It is imperative to reflect and rectify from the root causes to prevent similar incidents from happening again."