Who's Li Huitang? What was football like in China in his time?

Li Huitang (1905- 1979), the wordNo. Lu Wei, one of the eight sages of Meizhou, was born in Dakeng Village, Hong Kong in the 31st year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty, and was the third son of Li Haoru, the architectural king.

Li Huitang (right), who served as the vice president of FIFA from 65438 to 0965, was named as one of the "Top Five Football Kings in the World" by an authoritative football magazine in the Federal Republic of Germany from 65438 to 0976 (the other four were Pele, Matthews, Stefano and Puskas). Photo courtesy/Sun Demao

Li Huitang likes football since he was a child. At the age of 6, his father sent him back to Laolou Village, Xikeng Township, Wuhua County, Meizhou City to study in a private school. After studying, he used the wide lawn in front of his house as a court and called his friends to practice his football skills. Five years later, he returned to Hong Kong, continued to train hard, and often consulted his predecessors, and made great progress in technology. At the 1922 Hong Kong Summer Camp Cup, 17-year-old Li Huitang showed his skillful football skills, which attracted the attention of football predecessors. After the game, he was absorbed as a first-class football player of South China Athletics Association. Since then, the teams he participated in have won championships in the Shanghai-Hong Kong International Tournament, the First Division League and the Far East Games. Later, during his visit to Australia, he also repeatedly made meritorious military service, so he became famous in one fell swoop.

1In the autumn of 925, Li Huitang went to Shanghai. At first, he joined Lequn football team, defeated Koryo team and won the city championship. Later, he was hired as the director of the physical education department of Fudan University. 1926, the World Football Championship was held in Shanghai. With Li Huitang as the captain, the China football team beat two strong Portuguese and Scottish teams, setting a record for the China football team to beat foreign football teams in a row. In the summer of the same year, Li Huitang initiated the establishment of Lehua Football Team in Shanghai and Guangdong, and served as the chairman and captain of the team, becoming the strongest football team in Shanghai and even the whole country at that time. In the national league, Lehua team won the championship. In the "Scotto" Cup, Lehua defeated the foreign Lax team with 9 consecutive championships by 4:/kloc-0. 1927, Lehua team defeated Western Union, which was composed of strong teams from all over the world, and won the third championship of Western Union. From 65438 to 0928, Li Huitang participated in the World Cup and was named the best star. 1929, Li Huitang joined the Shanghai team and won the football championship in the National Games. Li Huitang's skillful dribbling skills and fantastic shooting skills fascinated the Shanghai audience. Every time he plays, the stadium is packed, and there is a saying that "watch Mei Lanfang at the theatre and watch Li Huitang at the ball". At that time, Li Huitang's fame spread all over the country.

From 65438 to 0930, Li Huitang returned to Hong Kong as the captain of the South China Football Team, leading the team to make frequent appearances and win every battle. For several years in a row, he won the first-class football match in Hong Kong and the sixth National Games.

1934, the 10th Far East Games was held in the Philippines, and Li Huitang was the captain of China football team. At the 9th Far East Games, Japan and China tied for the championship. The Japanese team threatened to beat China in the 9th Far East Games, while the China team, with Li Huitang as the main force, had high morale and was determined to teach this arrogant opponent a lesson. On the day of the final, the weather was particularly hot and the fighting was unprecedented. At the end of the whole game, the score was still three to three. At this time, the China team got the opportunity to take the penalty kick, and Li Huitang took the knife and hit it! Suddenly, the overseas Chinese audience cheered and thundered. The victory of this game greatly enhanced the prestige of the people of China, and Li Huitang also won the title of "Asian Ball King".

194 1 year, Li Huitang led the East China Football Team to visit Malaysia. Against Penang Military Federation, he won by 1 1: 0. He scored seven goals by himself, which shocked him into the opponent's net. On another occasion, Li Huitang was given a penalty when he led a team against a foreign team. He fired angrily and the ball flew out of the gun like a shell. After receiving the ball, the opposing goalkeeper rolled it into the net and vomited immediately, which led to the legend of Li Huitang's penalty 12 yard, which was so severe that he would kick someone to death. As a result, when Li Huitang led the team to play against the Indonesian team, the opposing goalkeeper saw that Li Huitang was about to push the ball out in front of him and left the goal, afraid to defend.

After Hongkong was occupied by Japanese in 194 1 12, Li Huitang fled back to his hometown. He has performed in Xikeng, Anliu, Hekou, Hengbei, Huacheng and other places, and led Wuhua Football Team and Hang Jian Football Team to visit Xingmei twice, which effectively promoted the development of hometown football. Since then, Meizhou has been called "the hometown of football", which is related to the vigorous promotion of Li Huitang. After the Japanese surrender, Li Huitang returned to Hong Kong from his hometown and still played for the South China football team.

1In the autumn of 947, Li Huitang led the South China football team to visit Southeast Asia and played 10 games with national football teams such as Thailand and Singapore, which was a great success. After returning to Hong Kong, Li Huitang participated in a football match between Hong Kong Hualian and Western Union. In his forties, he is still brave and scored several goals in a row. As a result, Hualian beat Western Union 4-2. This game has also become a farewell game for him to "hang up his boots".

From 65438 to 0948, Li Huitang founded the China Football Referee Committee in Hong Kong and was re-elected as its chairman for six times. Since then, his main energy has turned to coaching, writing and sports reviews on radio and newspapers.

1July 7, 979, Li Huitang died at the age of 75.

In the past 25 years, Li Huitang has traveled all over Asia, Europe and Australia. /kloc-became a first-class player at the age of 0/7 and retired at the age of 42. He scores goals in every game. He has played football for 25 years and scored more than 2000 goals. He won more than 50 honorary titles and his chest was covered with dazzling medals. His football team has won five Far East Games champions, four national champions, 26 Hong Kong champions, 1 Guangdong champions, two Indonesian champions and two Asian champions. He represented China in the Olympic Games twice, especially for the first time, from Southeast Asia to Western Europe. He won 27 battles along the way and scored 34 goals alone. 1976, in the selection activity organized by an authoritative football magazine in the Federal Republic of Germany, Li Huitang was named "the top five soccer kings in the world" together with Pele (Brazil), Matthews (Britain), Stifano (Spain) and Republika Srpska (Hungary).

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Li Huitang is not only an excellent football player, but also an outstanding football organizer and leader. He used to be the director of the sports department of Fudan University, the coach of China's national football team and the chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese Football Referee Committee, and was awarded the coaching certificate of the British Football Association. He was awarded the positions of Secretary and Vice President of the Asian Football Association and Vice President of the International Football Association. He is a pivotal figure in China football and Asian football. He has made outstanding contributions to the development of football in China and even in Asia, and won a high reputation in the world.

Li Huitang is also a famous football theorist. In addition to galloping on the pitch, he also actively explored the theory of football, including the collection of roots in the ball garden, the bowl of miscellaneous fruits, the football referee, Lu Fayin Wei Cao, and the story of going south. Li Huitang believes that football training should start with children. "If you are interested in football since you were a child, then never leave football, never leave your ears, never leave football, never leave your eyes, never leave football when eating, and never leave football when sleeping. If you have such an interest, you will never succeed. " . Li Huitang attaches great importance to team spirit. He said: "The key to the success of modern football is not the person who has the ball, but the person who has no ball. This suddenly sounds a bit surprising, but when you think about it carefully, it is a true fact. " "Candidates for the football team must have their own expertise. The person in charge must know that people do their best and do their best for the benefit of the team. " "Football is by no means a personal ability. You are the number one star in the world. If you don't have 10 teammates to help you and 1 1 enemies to fight against you, you are not a basket case! " Li Huitang also thinks: "The small square circle of football field is a good place to find teachers and friends, a breeding ground for courage and courage, and a laboratory for psychological wisdom. Epiphany is really a paradise. " "The real meaning of sports should be based on morality and technology. Seek its roots first, and then seek its completion. " "Good discipline, strong will and close cooperation are the three indispensable elements of a football team. Otherwise, no matter how good the football skills are, they will not be able to play, and the team's record is not ideal. " These brilliant theories still have great reference value today.

Li Huitang has a strong patriotism. 1923, as the main striker of South China team, went to Australia with the team. Before the match, Melbourne, the capital of Australia, not only reported the news of the Australia-China football match, but also attached a cartoon describing a gaunt and scrawny football player, named "The Sick Man of East Asia", which despised and insulted the China team and greatly aroused the anger of Li Huitang and all the players. The next day, the teams of the two countries confronted each other, and the China football players were evenly matched, which caused a sensation and the desire of China people became stronger and stronger. During my visit to Australia, I played more than 65,438+00 football matches, and every goal was attributed to Li Huitang. During the period of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Li Huitang became prosperous and maintained the integrity of outstanding sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. 194 1 year 65438+February 25th, Hong Kong was occupied by the Japanese army. The leader of the Japanese army asked Li Huitang to play football to strengthen Japan's military strength, but Li Huitang flatly refused. 1942 spring, at the invitation of Nanjing puppet government, he took up an important position in sports and was greeted by a special plane. Li Huitang also resolutely refused. Li Huitang said, "I, an upright person from Li Huitang, China, can't be the conquered. It is even more impossible for me to sell my country for glory. " In order to avoid the hidden harm of the Japanese army and Wang puppet traitors' minions, with the help of overseas Chinese businessmen who are enthusiastic about sports (former adjutant of the New Fourth Army and later chairman of Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po), they escaped from the tiger's mouth of Changzhou by a fast pick (smuggling boat) and returned to Xikeng Township, Wuhua County, Meizhou City for more than a month. In his hometown, Li Huitang was first the director of Wuhua Granary, then the colonel of the General Command of the Fujian-Guangdong-Jiangxi Border Region, and then the stationmaster of Xingning Highway Station. He was indifferent all his life. Since then, Li Huitang has organized teams in his hometown and played football actively. 1943, some members of Li Huitang and South China Games reunited in Shaoguan. Under his leadership, the football team was rebuilt and the process of "saving the country through sports" began. More than 30 charity competitions were held in Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan and other provinces, and all the ticket proceeds supported War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Li Huitang's patriotic action was widely praised by the whole country.

Li Huitang's former residence, the four-corner building of Laolou Village, Xikeng Town, Wuhua County, is called "Lianqing Building", which was built by his father Li Haoru in the 18th year of Guangxu (1892). Now it has become a distinctive scenic spot in Wuhua, promoting the development of tourism and football. The former residence is a common "four-cent gold" building in Hakka area, with five quadrangles wide and three deep. There is a horizontal house on the left and right, a four-story turret on each corner, and an enclosed house at the back. In front of the door, there are the sun valley terrace, the zhaobi, the left and right Doumen and the half moon lake. The wall is rammed with lime sand, and the roof is a suspended gable truss tile roof. The total construction area is about 4400 square meters, and the construction area is about 3590 square meters. The eaves columns of the upper, middle and lower halls of the former residence are octagonal plum blossom columns, the eaves columns of the left and right horizontal houses are columns, and the second floor is round wooden columns. Door and window frames are all made of stone, and the main entrance, side door and rotary bucket door are engraved with regular script. The screen beams and other components placed in the upper, middle and lower halls and the left and right horizontal houses are all engraved with golden woodcarving crafts such as lions, phoenixes, fish, flowers and plants, and character stories. The right porch of the former residence was Li Huitang's childhood residence, and the dog hole at the entrance of the right horizontal house was Li Huitang's childhood "goal". The first room in the right horizontal house is the house where Li Huitang returned to his hometown to form a football team during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period. 1September, 1994, Wuhua county people's government designated the former residence of Qiu Wang as a county-level cultural relics protection unit, and held a small exhibition of "Qiu Wang Li Huitang" here. Every year, many overseas Chinese, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and people from all walks of life come here to visit and inspect, remembering the brilliant achievements of the King of Ball.