Hello everyone! It’s time for another Friday noon edition of “Female Fan Interview”! Today’s protagonist is a fan of the German national team and Bayern Munich. Driven by her passion for football, she enrolled at the Communication University of China with the dream of becoming a football journalist. And now, she’s also a member of the women’s football academy team!
Hello, everyone! Let me introduce myself first.
My name is Yu Ruolin, and I’m a sophomore student at the Communication University of China. I’m a fan of Bayern Munich and the German national team, and this year marks the seventh year since I fell in love with football.
How did you initially get into football?
During the 2014 World Cup, I was in junior high school. Everyone at school was talking about football, so out of curiosity, I decided to give it a try.
One of the most memorable moments was watching the first match between Germany and Portugal. At that time, I didn’t know much about football. My dad and I made a bet – he thought Portugal would win, so I intentionally chose Germany against him. Surprisingly, Germany won the match. Since I didn’t know whether Germany was strong or not at that time, I don’t consider myself a die-hard fan, more like a “lucky charm” fan.
After that, I felt like there was some kind of destiny with the German team. I watched every match of Germany during the 2014 World Cup, and when Germany won the championship, it made me feel like there was a connection between me and football.That’s when I officially stepped into the world of football.
As for my favorite player?
My first football crush is definitely Klose! Among the current players, I like Müller the most. Besides his skills, I admire Müller because his goofy personality is quite similar to mine, haha!
Haha, what’s your feeling about Bayern Munich?
Well, let me think about it. I’ve never really thought about this question before.
I feel that Bayern gives off a very warm feeling. It’s not just about watching football matches with Bayern, it’s also about a spirit of football – unity and progress. This feeling can’t be summarized in just a few words. It’s like the phrase “I still support Bayern Munich,” whether it’s the players or the fans, win or lose, our hearts are always tightly connected.
From the era of Guardiola to that of Flick, and now Nagelsmann, Bayern always manages to bring a lot of surprises, sometimes even making people shed tears uncontrollably. Team spirit > superstars, whether it’s about possession football or wing combinations, everyone at Bayern is indispensable.
Having just defeated Barcelona in the Champions League, what are the chances of winning the title this year in your opinion?
Haha, I’m cautiously optimistic! Beating Barcelona doesn’t necessarily mean reaching the highest level of the Champions League, so the chances of winning it all wouldn’t be very high, I’d estimate around 25% (not sure where that exact figure comes from, but it’s definitely hopeful).
So, who do you think is the biggest favorite?
Can I say Paris? Haha~ (Editor’s note: This interview took place before Thursday.)
What’s your major at Communication University of China?
It’s a bit of a mouthful: Data Science and Big Data Technology (Media Big Data Direction).
Wow, that sounds complex haha! But I remember you saying that you initially wanted to go to Communication University of China because of football, right?
That’s right! It’s another slightly long story. Back in junior high, I used to go to Yutong Stadium often to watch games because there were a lot of passionate fans there, especially for Shijiazhuang Ever Bright matches. Tickets for Ever Bright matches were hard to come by due to the high demand from fans. Then, I had a classmate whose mom was a journalist. She not only could get into the stadium for free but also could get up close to the players and ask them questions during matches.
As a young person, I harbored the ideal of becoming a journalist (just to get free tickets to watch football). My dream was to interview German national team players for CCTV5. Later, I found out that Communication University of China had an excellent journalism program, so I applied there. Although I didn’t study journalism as my major, I did take elective courses in sports journalism at school, where I learned about professional skills such as interviewing, writing, and commentary. It’s safe to say that I’m getting closer and closer to my dream.
Oh, so your hometown club is Yǒngchāng? Even though it’s not called that anymore…
Yeah, mentioning that still hurts a bit. Before leaving Shijiazhuang, I was a fan of Yǒngchāng, but not anymore. (Shijiazhuang fans feel aggrieved but don’t say it. There’s no hometown club in China now, right?)
As for school, do you also try playing football yourself?
I do! As soon as I entered university, I joined the Women’s Football Team. I hadn’t played systematically before, but because I’m tall, the team captain assigned me the position of central defender. I started in almost every game against other colleges.
But playing center-back is too difficult. I’ve already applied to the captain to switch to the forward position. In order not to let everyone down, I’ve taken a soccer class this semester. After my relentless efforts, you can expect CUC Müller to dominate the top scorer list! (Just kidding)
Attached is a match report I wrote!
Ahahaha, am I considered a striker then? How would you describe your playing style?
Hahaha, I haven’t played as a striker yet. My playing style as a center-back could be described as having no technique at all. I focus on diligently guarding the last line of defense before the goalkeeper. If someone brings the ball towards me, I just disrupt their attack as best as I can. Hahaha!
Haha, over these years, do you feel that football has brought you anything?
I feel that football has become a part of my life. It has influenced my choices regarding life goals and helped me understand the direction of my future. At the same time, the harsh nature of competitive sports has strengthened my mental resilience, making me more accepting of wins and losses. Through football, I have also met many like-minded friends, watching and playing together, which has made me more outgoing. Those friendships have become valuable assets in my life journey.
Hmm, do you have any other interests besides that?
I enjoy photography, shopping, traveling, writing, playing pool, and appreciating good food (I love to eat), versatile, haha~
You have quite a wide range of interests! If you were to become a journalist, who would you most like to interview first and what would you ask?
I would interview Müller, haha. I’d like to ask him about the biggest setback he’s encountered in his football career and how to become a player who balances skills and goofiness.
So, do you have a boyfriend now? What kind of guys do you like?
Nope (Is it that easy for a girl who plays football to get along with guys, haha? PS: I’m only talking about myself). My ideal type is like Lewandowski, haha. Successful in career, extremely capable, good to family, gentle yet strong, gives a sense of security, and most importantly, taller than me (!).
