Chinese Women's Player of Year Wang Shuang expresses gratitude to head coach Shui Qingxia

BEIJING - After being named Chinese Women's Player of the Year on Thursday, Wang Shuang expressed gratitude to the Chinese women's football team's head coach Shui Qingxia.

Last year, Wang helped China qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in April before leading Wuhan Jiangda to win the Chinese Women's Super League championships in November.

Despite a disappointing performance at Tokyo 2020, China bounced back six months later in February, winning the AFC Women's Asian Cup after 16 years through consecutive comeback wins over Japan and South Korea in the semifinals and final.

Wang believes head coach Shui is the key to the team's quick recovery.

"After Shui joined the team, she assisted us to make many psychological adjustments. She was a former football player, so she understood our psychological state following the Tokyo Olympics," Wang said.

Starting with an injury in the AFC Women's Asian Cup final, Wang was very grateful for the trust of Shui. "No matter how painful it is, I try my best to repay Shui with my performance," she said.

"She looks after us like a 'Mother Shui', in addition to teaching us tactics in training," the 27-year-old added.

Besides the Steel Roses' success, Wang hopes that people pay more attention to players who are not on the national team. "I believe it is my responsibility to promote women's football since joining the national team in 2013," Wang said.

It is worth noting that the top three Chinese Women's Footballer of the Year, Wang Shuang, Tang Jiali, and Shen Mengyu, all have experience in European leagues, and Wang said: "I've always wanted to play abroad again, but everything has to wait until the right time."