Mbenza, the first foreign player in the Chinese League: I am a natural goalscorer, and I want to learn a few tricks of Chinese kung fu to celebrate the goal

Special correspondent Shen Jun reports After several rounds of adaptation to the Chinese League, Liaoning Iron Man foreign aid Mbenza finally showed the style of the first value of the Chinese League, and he is currently tied for second place in the scorer list with 5 goals and teammate An Yien, who staged a big four in this round.

In the last round, the Liaoning Irons defeated the fierce rival Guangdong Guangzhou Leopards away, and Mbenza scored two goals for the team, the second of which was called "Flying Immortals" by the majority of fans.

In an exclusive interview with this newspaper after the fourth round of the league, Mbenza bluntly said that he is "a natural goalscorer", and he even said that he may "design a few Chinese kung fu celebrations" in the near future.

◆Football: You scored twice in the last round of the league, did you think before the game that you would play so well?

Mbenza: Maybe you don't believe it, but I told my agent before the game that I was going to score two goals in this game and I did. I'm very confident that I'm going to do that and I'm very happy with how I did in the last round. I promise everyone that I will perform better and score more goals.

◆The second goal in the last round was brilliant and could even be contendered for the best goal of the season, what do you think of it?

It was a brilliant goal because I had a flash in my mind and I turned and fired a volley past the goalkeeper. It was one of the most beautiful goals of my career so far and it gave me more confidence. Scoring more great goals will be the best gift I can give back to the fans.

◆Looking at the first four rounds, you felt really good in front of goal, you had a very high shot on target and hit the post a number of times, what do you think your technical characteristics are?

I feel like I'm a natural goalscorer and I always find opportunities to shoot with my feet on the pitch. Also, my years of playing in different leagues have made me calm in front of goal and don't shoot blindly. I'm going to pick a good time and get my feet on the goalkeeper's most uncomfortable situation so that the chances of scoring are much higher.

◆As the most valuable player in the Chinese League, everyone has high expectations for you, is there any pressure on yourself?

I didn't think about it that much. If I'm good enough to outperform my opponent, then the pressure is on them. I'm an experienced player who has played in countries like Morocco, Tunisia and Qatar. When I get into my rhythm and find my feel and keep playing well up front, the pressure is no longer on me, it becomes the motivation for me and my team-mates to move forward. If I and the Liaoning Ironmen team perform better and better, then the pressure will be transferred to the opponent, and we will be more and more relaxed.

◆After four rounds of league play, do you feel like you've adapted to the league and how is your personal condition?

I've been in China for a while, and I feel the enthusiasm of my teammates, coaches, and fans. I have a great time working and living in China, and I am in a good mood. Even though I'm getting better and better, I feel like I'm not at my best and there's still a lot of room for improvement with my teammates. Due to visa issues, I met with the team at the beginning of the year almost a month later than planned, so this affected my training with the team to a certain extent. The coach and team-mates have been encouraging me and believe that as I continue to train and play, I will be at my best and better able to help the team and achieve the goal of achieving the top with everyone.

◆Football: After four league games, the team is in third place in the Central League, and there is only one point away from the first place, what do you think the team can improve?

MBENZA: I think the team is in good shape, it's going up. Of course, we still have room for improvement, after all, many players, including me, are playing for the Liaoning Ironmen in their first season, and everyone has not had enough time to run in. I'm a professional athlete and all I have to do is to do what the coaching staff asks me to do and integrate with my teammates and move towards what we have in mind.

◆Liaoning Ironmen's goal this season is to surpass, what do you think is the most critical factor in achieving this goal?

First of all, we want to win as many games as possible. It's the same in any league, if you want to finish in the top two, you have to be better than the other teams while defending well so that you can win more games. This will require the team to score more goals. As a striker, my job is to score goals. Of course, it takes the whole team to work together and I'm sure there will be more chances between me and my team-mates. In addition, we need to maintain a steady mindset, not be anxious because of temporary difficulties, and use a normal heart to ensure continuous competitiveness.

◆You and Felipe, Bangben Yiyu, An Yien, the four midfielders are the absolute main force of the Liaoning Iron Man team, and are known as the "Four Heavenly Kings" by the majority of fans, what do you think of the chemistry between you?

I think the three team-mates are very important in midfield, with Bunmoto and Anyen taking on more attacking responsibilities in midfield and they are often able to make quality passes for me and other players. Felipe is the team's commander and he is responsible for adjusting the team's attacking and defensive tempo in midfield. Ann and I are still good friends in life, and we communicate a lot. I'm sure as the game goes on, the chemistry between the guys will get better and better, and it will bring more positive changes to the team.

◆Li Jinyu recruited you out of appreciation for you, what do you think of this head coach?

I think he's got a lot of personality and he's a very responsible manager. He takes the details of training very seriously, he respects every player and directs the game with passion. The manager is very good to us and the relationship between the players and the coach is very good.

◆Li Jinyu was once one of the best strikers in Chinese football, and he held the Chinese league record for individual goals for many years. As fellow strikers, do you have a common language in football?

If I have time, I will definitely exchange my experience with him as a striker, and of course I hope to be the top scorer in the Chinese league like him, but I still pay more attention to the team's results than personal accolades. As a goalscorer, I still have to do my job first, which is to score goals and help the team get better results.

◆Football: Why did you choose to play in China?

Mbenza: I was playing in the Qatar league last season and my agent told me that he had received an offer from a Chinese team and he introduced me to Liaoning Iron Man FC. We got to know the team together and knew that this is a club with ambitions to challenge China's top league. I was so impressed by the positive spirit of the club that I decided to join. At the same time, playing in China is also a new challenge, you can experience a new league and a new style of football.

◆How is the style of the Chinese league different from the one you've played for?

All leagues have their own style, but I've only been to China for four rounds and I don't know everything enough. At present, the confrontation in the Chinese League is relatively fierce, and there are many players with great characteristics, and it is not easy for us to achieve the goal of surpassing. In addition, the Chinese football market is very good, the fans are very enthusiastic, and the stadium is beautiful.

◆The overall level of Chinese football is not high, as a foreign player, what advice do you have for Chinese football to improve its own level?

I don't know enough about Chinese football, so I don't have much to say. However, I think the most important thing for all participants, whether it is the academy or the clubs at all levels of the league, including the national team, is to focus on their work and do what they do is worthy of their profession. China is a great country, there is no reason why Chinese football is bad, as long as the foundation is solid, I believe that Chinese football will rise.

◆What's life like in Shenyang? What's there to like?

Shenyang is a very modern big city, our home atmosphere is very good, and life is very convenient. I've eaten a lot of Chinese food, most of them don't know the name, but it's delicious. The variety of stir-fried dishes is delicious, and there are many flavors of fried rice, which I like very much. There is also a barbecue in Shenyang that is different from other places, it tastes like lamb skewers, I have only eaten it in China, and it is very good.

◆Listening to other players say that you are a very optimistic and active player, how do you feel about the current atmosphere in the team?

No matter where I am, I'm always optimistic and positive, and that's key. The atmosphere of the whole team is very good, everyone celebrates together when they win, and they don't get too frustrated when they lose, but encourage each other and keep their fighting spirit. The whole team is confident that they will be able to achieve great results in the next competitions.

◆You've scored four goals in the league and your celebrations after scoring are characteristic, does that have any special significance?

I adapted this set of movements, adapted from the dance of my hometown artist Falifali Cuba, whose songs and dances are very popular in Congo, and I like him very much, and I hope to show the culture of my hometown to Chinese fans through this set of celebrations. I'm sure I'll score more goals in the future, and I'll design more beautiful celebrations for the fans based on the dance in my hometown. Of course, I am also learning about Chinese culture, and Chinese kung fu is fascinating. If I have time, I'll learn a few tricks, and maybe I'll design a few Chinese kung fu celebrations in the near future.