BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Back in 2016, when students at a mountain school in southwest China's Guizhou Province received a football among donated supplies, few could have imagined that a single ball would quietly transform daily life.
The curious children clustered around the black and while football, entirely new to most of them. They picked it up, tapped it with their palms and giggled at its springy bounce. When a teacher explained that it was meant to be kicked, curiosity gave way to delight. Moments later, they were racing across a dusty patch of the schoolyard, chasing the ball as it skipped through the air.
They had no way of knowing then that this small ball would open a far wider world. Today, more than 90 students from the same school have followed football out of the mountains, stepping onto paths they never imagined.
Some have played in international youth tournaments, traveling as far as Belarus for the UEFA Development Tournament. Others have been flown to Istanbul for the Champions League final, watching the world's top players from only meters away and even receiving on-field tips from global star Kaka.
Back at the village school, bright yellow classroom buildings overlook a lush green pitch, where a bold slogan on the wall urges, "Roll, football, roll!" The moment the bell rings, students pour from their classrooms and dash onto the field, eager to revel in the pure joy of the game.
The children's love for the sport didn't grow on its own. Much of it came from Xu Zhaowei, their Chinese language teacher and an avid football fan. In April 2017, Xu floated the idea of starting a school team. The principal didn't hesitate and told Xu to go for it.
The kids signed up in a heartbeat. Many turned out to have extraordinary endurance and a surprising feel for the game. Xu, who had never coached before, first taught himself by watching online tutorials late at night and tried out every drill on the field the next day.
At first, they had nowhere proper to practice. Sessions took place on a patch of wild grass behind the school, where villagers' chickens roamed freely. Only later, with help from volunteers, did they get a modest field of their own, 30 meters long and 18 meters wide, which was priceless to the team.
Their breakthrough came quickly. Just three months after the team was formed, the children entered a county tournament, small and inexperienced but facing far stronger opponents. Yet they ran with a determination that surprised everyone, and by the end of the day, they had claimed both the boys' and girls' titles, putting the school on the map.
Victory on the pitch did more than win medals; it changed how the children saw themselves. Training sessions grew longer and more focused, driven by a growing belief that effort could lead to real opportunities. In 2018, 12 players were admitted to top county middle schools as student athletes, taking their first step beyond the mountains.
Recognition soon followed. The primary school was later designated a national youth campus football school by the Ministry of Education, bringing better funding, proper equipment, professional coaching, and, for many players, access to better schooling and more structured training.
But the deepest impact came from football itself. "What changed most was the children's mindset," Xu said. "They became more outgoing, more confident. These children used to keep their heads down. Now they look people in the eye."
Luo Zihan, a player on the school's girls' football team, still lights up when she recalls a trip to Munich in 2024, standing in a packed stadium thousands of miles from home, cheering alongside tens of thousands of fans as Europe's top teams battled it out.
Last year, Luo and other young football players, all driven by the same love for the game, were given the chance to travel to Germany for a football-focused exchange visit.
"I love playing football. It makes me happy," Luo said. "Becoming a footballer is what I'm working toward."
Football has become a constant in the lives of Luo and her teammates, carrying them beyond the walls of their mountain school and opening the door to a wider world.
"Feet let you walk," Xu said. "Wings let you go anywhere. For these mountain children, football is their wings." ■
