Hello everyone, welcome to our weekly “Female Fan Interview” segment! Today, we have a charming young lady who is a devoted Real Madrid fan. With both looks and football skills, she’s also been an avid player of FIFA. Without further ado, let’s get to know her better through a short video clip!
Hello, could you please introduce yourself?
Hello everyone, I’m Zaza An. I started playing football in 2018, so I’ve been playing for several years now. My favorite team is Real Madrid.
Haha, why do you have the nickname Zaza An？
Well, it was when I was playing FIFA, and let’s just say I wasn’t very good at it. So, everyone started calling me Zaza An. There was also this ad for ‘Greedy Blue Moon,’ and I guess they kind of played off that…
How did you first get into football?
It was back in 2015, one day I randomly turned on my computer and there happened to be a Real Madrid game on. I was drawn to the team in white, their logo looked really cool, and I started following them like a fan.
“Later, my dad told me that when I was little, there was a year when Real Madrid came to China. He took me to see the game, but just two minutes after we got in, I started insisting on leaving. So, he lied to me, saying we were going out to buy some delicious food. When we got out, I started insisting that I didn’t want to go back in, so he didn’t get to watch the game either! (laughs) That was also the first football match I ever attended. Looks like I have quite a connection with Real Madrid in my life.”
“My later fondness for football stemmed from my own desire to love it. Although my dad said he used to take me to watch games live before I was three years old, I have no memory of that. Before 2015, I had no idea that my dad also liked football.
In the early days, I couldn’t understand football matches very well, and I lacked a lot of basic knowledge. I just enjoyed watching the games with my dad. He would explain to me why the referee showed cards and why some goals didn’t count. (laughs)”
“I started playing football when our high school introduced a girls’ team in 2018, and that’s when I began to develop a competitive edge towards football.
I remember that just after a month of training, we participated in the district-level competition in Haidian. In our first match, we faced the previous year’s champions. Playing in an eleven-a-side format was exhausting, and I was one of the better players on the team, responsible for taking all goal kicks, throw-ins, and corner kicks. At that time, our team coordination was lacking, and we conceded three goals in the first half. During halftime, I couldn’t stop crying as I contemplated how to turn the game around. Unfortunately, my abilities were limited, and we conceded three more goals in the second half.”
“After the district-level tournament ended, I was determined to improve my football skills. I would play football in the corridors during breaks, sneak onto the football field during free periods in physical education classes, and eagerly attend team training sessions. Looking back, those training sessions were just random kicking and practicing without much structure, but they brought immense joy.
After about four months of training, I participated in another Nike Cup girls’ football competition. This time, I could see some progress. Our team scored many goals, and I even managed to earn the title of a national second-level athlete!”
On October 2nd, 2018, I had to quit the team due to academic probation caused by multiple failed courses. However, I continued to practice on the field and in the corridors by myself. Now in university, I haven’t failed any courses and have even received the first-class scholarship twice in a row.
My position used to be all over the field, and my style might be described as independent and somewhat solitary. In high school, when playing with other girls, nobody was particularly good at supporting each other, so the coach instructed me to take charge and carry the ball as much as possible. Currently, I play in the classic number 10 position, but I still tend to roam around aimlessly. I’ve thought about learning from Müller, but I can’t seem to master his off-the-ball movement. While for others, off-the-ball movement acts as a filter for soccer blindness, for me, it just exhausts my energy first, haha!
Are you still a Pro Evolution Soccer player?
I used to be a Pro Evolution Soccer player. I sold my main account and stopped playing PES, then switched to FIFA Online 4 and FIFA 20. Later, I stopped playing games altogether because my controller broke, and focused on studying.
Haha, yeah, it was quite sad. Did you ever work as a live streamer for FIFA? Did you have a lot of viewers?
Yes, on DouYu. I used to play quite a bit back then. I thought it would be fun to livestream while playing games, you know, just to relax a bit. Surprisingly, there were quite a few viewers. At its peak, I think there were around 14,000 viewers.
Speaking of which, who is your favorite player?
Let me think about that for a moment, because I don’t have a favorite player. Many players I like are on the same level in my mind. When I was younger, I liked Morata, then it was Ronaldo, and later on, there were more, like Haaland, Mane… Basically, there’s one from almost every team.
Do they have anything in common?
Carrying a team and having an impressive playing style, I guess.
Hmm, do you usually buy a lot of jerseys and sneakers? Which one is your favorite?
I have more sneakers, and as for jerseys, they’re mostly provided by my brother, haha. My favorite sneakers are the Venom 1, whoever wears them, they’re good!
Do you prefer playing football with guys or girls usually?
I especially want to play football with girls, haha, because my brother always bullies me. Just the other day, I was dribbling towards the goal line, getting ready to shoot, and my brother was defending against me. He just pushed me over, and I fell down, haha!
When playing with girls, the game tends to be more gentle, and the pace is particularly slow, which suits me, a novice, very well. With guys, the pace is faster. Honestly, those guys who play well off the field are ruthless on the field. Don’t expect them to give you any leeway, haha.
Haha, looks like I need help recruiting female soccer buddies!
Absolutely！
Besides soccer, do you have any other hobbies?
I also enjoy playing tennis, haha. I dabble in a variety of sports, but I’m not particularly skilled at any of them.
Ah, we’ve reached the final question! Do you have a boyfriend now?
Nope, been single for a while.
Wow, so what kind of guys do you like?
I like guys who are better at soccer than me and can handle me, haha. I’m a bit rebellious.
Oh? Like the captain of the school team?
“Haha, it doesn’t necessarily have to be the captain, just someone who’s really good at playing football and has a good temper.”
