Soccer stars settle in, but it can be a struggle

Despite the culture gap and acclimation issues, elite African soccer players have mostly enjoyed their wellpaid adventures as part of China's top league.

As the country's increasing investment in professional soccer attracts global talent, African players have made their presence felt in the Chinese Super League, with fans won over by their athleticism on the pitch and their efforts to embrace cultural differences off it.

The popularity of Cedric Bakambu, a Congolese striker for Beijing Guoan, underlines the rising African force in the CSL, where 15 out of 64 foreign players are from Africa.