For former Chinese women's soccer player Zhao Lina, her story began not under stadium lights but in the dusty schoolyard of Jinshajiang Road Primary School in Shanghai's Putuo district.

Now 33, she still remembers joining the school soccer team in first grade — the tallest among all her teammates. The coach lined everyone up by height, and Zhao was placed at the end of the line. Impressed by her height, the coach decided she should be a goalkeeper.

"At first, I was terrified," Zhao recalls. "But that fear faded quickly. We were just a bunch of first — and second-graders kicking soft shots that barely reached the goal."

Skipping evening study sessions to train on the field felt "incredibly cool" to her at the time. Yet, she soon realized that every day began with monotonous running laps. Back then, she never imagined one day she would step onto the international stage.

In the beginning, her only fan was her father. A decade later, she stood on the world stage at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, wearing the red strip of China. She then felt the pure joy of playing — the thunderous cheers from the packed stadium were unforgettable.

"When the stadium roared, it felt like the crowd lit something inside me," she says. "I'd never thought of myself as someone driven by victory, but that moment awakened my passion, my desire to be seen."

Within a year, Zhao rose from China's third-choice goalkeeper to its starting No 1, heading to the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

One of her most unforgettable matches came in 2022, when China made a stunning 3-2 comeback against South Korea to reclaim the AFC Women's Asian Cup after 16 years. It was the perfect high point and a year later, Zhao announced her retirement, closing an 18-year career.

But she didn't walk away from soccer. Instead, she found a new mission — bringing the game to children in China's rural areas. Through her soccer charity program, Zhao plans to visit 100 remote schools, build pitches, donate equipment, organize leagues and train local physical education teachers to coach.

In the 10 months following her retirement, she had already helped build four soccer fields and deliver equipment to 40 schools.

"Soccer has been a training ground for so many of my best qualities. It gave me countless opportunities — on that small pitch, I experienced all the emotions and challenges of life," she says. "Soccer can become a lifelong companion for children in the countryside."

To capture those stories, Zhao and her team produce short documentaries shared on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. "We record everything, their smiles, their progress, their joy."

Alongside her charity work, Zhao has also stepped into journalism. During the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, she reported from the sidelines, interviewing former teammates and coaches — a symbolic reunion from a new perspective.

"My soccer career taught me about the depth of life, how far dedication to one craft can go. But in the three years since retiring, I've discovered life's breadth. I've met people from many fields, seen how and why they work, and understood the meaning and value they create for society. These years have been a time of rapid growth and expanding horizons," she says.

Zhao often credits her first coaches, Qian Hui and Zhang Xiang, who, three decades ago, established the foundation for women's soccer at her primary school. "They created a complete pathway — from primary school to university — for girls to play. It wasn't easy, but they produced many national players, including me."

Three decades ago, the school gave those coaches a place to take root, becoming known for its soccer program. Now, Zhao hopes to use her own influence to inspire more people — especially girls — across China to fall in love with soccer.

"Life isn't a straight line," she reflects. "Even athletes have peaks and declines. But when the next rise comes — if you've prepared enough and give your all — you'll surpass your last peak. That's what life and soccer have taught me."

Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn