Wumitijan: You can't be called an international player if you enter the national football team once, and you always have a reverence for this identity

Reporter Lu Mi reports For that night on August 24, 2024, Wumi Tijiang still has lingering palpitations, and even thinks that he will cry - in the 23rd round of the 2024 Chinese Super League, Three Towns played away against Jinmen Tigers, and in the 8th minute of stoppage time in the second half, he fractured his skull, and once thought that his career was abruptly over. Fortunately, after five months of recovery, he got back on his feet and entered the national team, and he said that he should maintain a sense of reverence for the identity of the international player.

◆Football: How did it feel to come back from the national team?

Wumitijan: The first time I entered the national team, everything was new and interesting, especially in terms of training, it was different from the club, after all, this is the national team, only the best players in the country can come here to train, I am very excited, carefully observe everyone's training, coach Ivan's requirements and guidance, I also seriously understand.

◆Was it a surprise that he was selected for the national team at the age of twenty? What do you think made the cut?

It was a surprise and of course I was very excited because I hadn't played in about five months before, so it was a real surprise to be selected. I think the reason for the selection should be based on my performance in the league last season, and it also proves that my efforts last year have paid off. Of course, I don't think that this selection means that I am an international player in the true sense of the word.

◆As one of the youngest players in this training camp, what kind of mentality do you have to participate in every training session?

The players in the squad are very good, and as I said before, only the best players in the country can come here. So, I think the young players are selected for the national team not only because of good skills or awareness, but more importantly, because they have a good training attitude and a positive attitude towards the game. In this team, everyone is very serious about doing what needs to be done in each position. It's the first time I've been selected, and I'm still a little afraid that I won't be able to do well, but fortunately, my seniors take good care of me, like Gao Zhunyi, we are basically in a group, and he will teach me how to do it better.

◆What was your impression of Ivan before, and what aspect of your impression deepened after coming into contact with it?

When training, he is more strict, whether it is a veteran player or a young player, as long as he does not train seriously, he will bring it up, basically when he trains, he shows more of a majestic side.

◆What does it mean to you to be selected for the national team at the beginning of your career?

Because my team-mates are very good players and training with them I find that I have a lot of shortcomings and I will try to close the gap with them. I think it's more about the mental mindset that can help me grow as soon as possible. When I first arrived, I was still quite worried and a little nervous, but as the training deepened, I slowly let go, and I felt that after I saw more widely, my mentality would become calmer.

◆What did you think of the national team and the international players before?

The national team and the international player are the goals that we have always looked up to as ordinary players, for me, the international player is not just a title, nor can it be called an international player after entering the national team once, I should always maintain a sense of awe for this identity, understand the weight it carries, and strive to deserve it.

◆There are many young players in the national team, how do you see the competition?

I think it's good to have a lot of young players and we might be a little bit more competitive, but no matter who plays and who is on the bench, we don't have any conflicts because we're all playing for the national team.

◆After coming back, did you change your mentality?

I feel that I am in very good physical and mental condition and will continue to train well when I return to the club. Because only if the club performs well, there will be more opportunities to be selected for the national team in the future, and next season, I will try to have a more consistent performance.

◆Football: You were promoted to the first team of Three Towns last year, how did you feel about your first Super League season at the beginning?

Wumi Tijiang: I didn't expect that I would play in the Chinese Super League so soon, because I was playing in the second division before, and I really wanted to prove myself and strive to play in the top league as soon as possible.

◆Have you ever wanted to get a chance in the Super League so soon?

First of all, I am very grateful to the club for giving me this opportunity, and I am also grateful to the coaching staff at the time for believing in me, and my team-mates for helping me a lot. Without them, I wouldn't have progressed as quickly.

◆Three Towns had some ups and downs in their results last year, how did you adjust yourself?

Yes, we had a lot of difficulties last year for the Three Towns team. But I think it's also a test of our players, our attitude and professionalism in difficult situations. Actually, everybody knows that our goal for the season is the same and everyone did a good job in the process, so we achieved it ahead of schedule.

◆The first time you fought in the Super League, what did you feel the most?

It's a great feeling to play against so many good teams and against so many good players. It can be nervous at first, but the nervousness eventually turns into a desire to compete. I think that's where the biggest growth lies. I have gained experience in playing football, and I have matured a lot.

◆Last August, you suffered a serious head injury and everyone was terrified, did you realize the seriousness yourself?

After the collision with the other party, I woke up as soon as I landed, and I thought it was just a concussion, and I thought about getting up and continuing to play. But I really couldn't get up, I felt weak in an instant, and then I was carried into an ambulance, and when I arrived at the hospital, the doctor told me that I needed surgery, because I had a broken skull, and I knew the seriousness of the matter. At that time, I was really scared, afraid that I would never be able to play football again.

◆Does the family know about the situation?

The club called, and the family rushed to Tianjin overnight, and they were very worried, mainly afraid of the danger to their lives.

◆After such a big injury, have you reconsidered something?

I was in the recovery period after the surgery and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to go back to the professional game, after all, my career had just started and I had just played in the Chinese Super League, and I didn't want to end it like that. When I think about it, I cry too. But as my body slowly recovered, I felt that there was nothing wrong with me, and everything was going in a good direction, and I was completely relieved. After such a big injury, I vowed to live every day in the future, especially every day I played.

◆Football: How did your football journey begin? What is the family's attitude towards this? When you left Xinjiang, you were very young, what was your dream at that time?

Umitijan: When I was about five or six years old, my neighbor's brothers formed a team and played football every day. My family didn't have a lot of ideas about football, but they never stopped me from playing. When I was 12 years old, when I graduated from elementary school, I was really exposed to systematic training. At first, I loved to play, but when I grew up, I realized that playing football can also become a profession, a skill to earn a living, and I can support my family if I play well, so I chose this path, for myself and to bring a better life to my family.

◆Is life at home stressful?

It's a very ordinary family, there are many children in the family, and I am the eldest son in the family, so I need to help the family share a lot of pressure. My grandfather is almost 80 years old, and before going to the national team this time, I went home and saw that he went out to work before dawn in the morning, and came back after dark, so that the income of a day was only a few dozen yuan. I also asked him why he had to go out and work hard when he was so old, and he said that it was to relieve the financial pressure on his family.

◆You're pinning all your hopes on football to solve your family's stresses, have you ever thought that this is quite risky?

I don't have time to think about anything else, I just want to take this road well and steadily, I spent a lot of football training throughout my junior high school years, I didn't go to high school, and all my energy was focused on football. At the time of sixteen, the other kids were out playing, and I was alone in the gym. For a defender, at least you have to have the strength to fight against others. I think I have a specialization in the art industry, and I feel that my body will not suffer very much now, and most of the foundation was laid at that time. You may think that I am under a lot of pressure because of my family, but in fact, it is my motivation and motivates me to move forward.

◆After you succeed, what do you want to do the most?

Giving my family a better life is what I want to do the most. Of course, it's a bit far from that goal, there is still a lot to do, and in the process, I will do every training session well, play every game well, and take every step a little more steadily.

◆In recent years, there have been many Xinjiang players who have performed very well in the national brand, do you have any idols of your own?

Now the development of Xinjiang football is very good, at the end of each year, we will go back to play, all of them are Xinjiang players from the third-level league, everyone is competing on the same field, very serious, the atmosphere is very good, this is more like a party for us, but also the proof of the vigorous development of Xinjiang football. When I first started playing, Maitijan was my role model.

◆From your first appearance in the professional league to your entry into the national team, did you feel that the process went smoothly?

It's very smooth, and after playing in the second division, he will play directly in the Chinese Super League. At the professional league level, I'm a newcomer. This process, although it came a little fast, but I think it is also to lock in my life goals in advance, and then keep working hard, of course, I will not be proud, I always remind myself to be more humble, and strive to make the ability worthy of it.

◆What are the plans for the future?

I will try to get into the national team more and try to play in the national team. We have four games to play this year and I hope for a good result and it would be great if our group of players could finish the feat of qualifying.