The voice of experience

Fan Zhiyi, one of 'the boys of 2002', wants to help chart plans for the future

Editor's note: Soccer is the world's No 1 sport, and China has its own aims for the game. President Xi Jinping has spoken about his soccer dream: China reaching the World Cup, China hosting the Cup and, ultimately, China winning the coveted trophy. However, the nation still lags far behind in the soccer world. The 2014 Brazil World Cup is just around the corner and we have selected 11 key figures from around the country to tell us about their soccer dreams. The interviews will be on RTHK Putonghua Channel at 4 pm on Sundays through June 8.

Generosity is synonymous with Fan Zhiyi, the first Chinese to win Asian Footballer of the Year. He has been widely known as "big brother", even from his childhood in the nongtangs in Shanghai.