Matthias Brosamer (second left) and FC Bayern legendary striker Giovane Elber (first left) direct younger Chinese language gamers in FC Bayern soccer college in Qingdao, East China’s Shandong Province in April 2019. Picture: Courtesy of Brosamer
FC Bayern Munich is without doubt one of the most profitable soccer golf equipment on the earth and has a legion of followers in China.
In recent times, the membership has not solely introduced its best gamers to China to satisfy followers, but additionally been exporting its wonderful soccer philosophy to the nation, particularly by transplanting its youth coaching system right here based mostly on its decades-old profitable practices and expertise.
Matthias Brosamer has been a witness to the entire course of.
The previous soccer participant, who studied at a Beijing-based college in 2006, now leads Bayern’s youth coaching work in Asia.
With years of effort, the Bundesliga giants now have 4 soccer faculties round China and have been working with the Chinese language Ministry of Training and all ranges of soccer groups.
Brosamer and his collogues have already discovered younger rising soccer stars like 19-year-old Chinese language goalkeeper Liu Shaoziyang who was signed by Bayern Munich on a three-and-a-half-year contract in December 2021.
“Our plan is to assist Chinese language soccer to enhance, and [to help] the subsequent technology of Chinese language soccer,” he informed the World Instances.
A life-changing determination
An accident suffered when he was 19 modified Brosamer’s life trajectory to turn out to be knowledgeable soccer play.
At the moment, Brosamer had a promising future as knowledgeable soccer participant. He had even been invited by the U21 nationwide group of Germany.
However his fledgling profession was halted by a extreme harm to his ankle.
At the moment, individuals at all times informed him that “it was such a pity that you just didn’t make it” or “the likelihood was there to turn out to be knowledgeable soccer participant.” All his pals labored in soccer, and all of the conversations had been round soccer.
This made Brosamer simply need to exit the world of soccer to enter a brand new stage in his life.
When he got here to China for the primary time in 2004, a brand new world opened up in entrance of him.
“For the primary time, I discovered myself,” he stated. “Folks didn’t know that I used to be a soccer participant. They handled me as an peculiar individual, which I actually loved.”
At the start, Brosamer was only a vacationer in China. In Beijing the capital metropolis, he visited the Summer season Palace, the Temple of Heaven, and was most impressed by the Nice Wall. He additionally met in Beijing many international college students from all around the world.
After he returned to Germany, whereas excited about changing into a bodily therapist, Brosamer was unable to let go of the concept of returning to China.
“What can I do in China? Can I examine there?” he performed some analysis on the web and located the reply he wished.
On the finish of 2006, Brosamer was in Beijing once more as a scholar on the Beijing Language and Tradition College, and remained there for the subsequent six years.
After being in China, Brosamer discovered that he may do one thing else with out soccer, completely with out soccer. Subsequently, he selected to review Chinese language, in addition to Chinese language tradition and historical past.
“However when you love soccer as soon as, you’ll by no means let it go,” he stated. “Identical to the primary love that you’ll at all times keep in mind.”
Brosamer picked up soccer once more. Quickly he grew to become a soccer coach in Beijing and “the attractive recreation,” as it’s so affectionately identified all over the world, has since by no means left his life.
Discovering Thomas Müller
In 2012, Brosamer returned to Germany to turn out to be a coach in his hometown group SC Freiburg.
His life was modified once more in 2018 when he obtained an invite from Bayern Munich to work in its new department workplace in Shanghai, additionally the headquarters of the membership’s improvement group in East Asia.
“In fact I used to be on this place. Bayern is a good membership, Shanghai is a metropolis, and I do know each soccer and the Chinese language language,” he stated. “I’ve been attempting to be a bridge from China, from Asia to Germany, to Munich.”
He relocated to Shanghai together with his household and function the Head of Sports activities Asia, specializing in youth coaching division.
Having lived in and being so intrinsically linked with China for such a very long time, Brosamer has seen the rise within the variety of individuals enjoying soccer within the nation.
“After I left China in 2012, I felt pity that even when I want to assist, it appeared unimaginable [to find many talented players in China],” Brosamer stated, “After I got here again in 2018, I see expertise, particularly in youthful ages.”
Speaking about present younger gamers from the 2 international locations, Brosamer admitted that Chinese language gamers nonetheless want extra creativity and teamwork, that are additionally what Bayern is attempting to assist inculcate in Chinese language soccer.
Within the final 4 years, after launching the soccer faculties in Qingdao in East China’s Shandong Province, Shenzhen in South China’s Guangdong Province, Taiyuan in North China’s Shanxi Province, Bayern Munich began the fourth soccer college in Taicang of East China’s Jiangsu Province.
Liu Shaoziyang from Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei Province, who grew to become first Chinese language male goalkeeper ever signed by an European soccer membership, has even educated in Munich a number of occasions. Liu’s progress has been outstanding, in keeping with Brosamer.
Bayern Munich has a convention of getting the world’s best goalkeepers on its roster, together with Sepp Maier, Oliver Kahn, and present German captain Manuel Neuer. Brosamer hopes that Bayern will discover extra younger expertise in China sooner or later to characteristic in different positions within the group.
“China 100% has the soccer expertise. There’s a Chinese language ‘Thomas Müller’ right here,” he stated. “However the issue is, this expertise might be not enjoying soccer now.”
In Europe, soccer is part of the society. Little children play soccer with their grandpas, they usually go to any pitches on Saturdays with their mother and father. All people talks about soccer. All people has a dream to turn out to be a soccer participant, Brosamer stated.
He concluded: “Folks want to like soccer. Because of this we’re right here to not solely educate the children, but additionally carry this entire soccer tradition into this nation. That is additionally a part of soccer improvement.”
