Zhang Yuning – Chinese football’s great hope – shows why he is a marketing dream at first press conference in Germany
Hordes of Chinese reporters descend on German club’s training ground to speak to young player, while thousands more watch online
Zhang Yuning’s potential impact – off the pitch if not on – at Werder Bremen was in full effect as a livestream of the Chinese player’s first press conference with the German Bundesliga club crashed because of the demand.
Having not made a major impact during two seasons at Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands, some doubt whether Zhang can make the grade in the tougher German league.
But there was no doubt as to his marketing potential as hordes of Chinese reporters descended on the press conference and thousands of fans tuned in to see him talk to the media in perfect English, fielding hard-hitting questions about food, his love life and his relationship with China’s president.
“On my first day I was in the Ratskeller and I had typical Bremen food. It was a bit tough,” joked Zhang.