On a football pitch in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, Carlo, an Italian in a football jersey, makes a calm pass. Running beside him are his former teammates from Liaoning, reunited with him after a decade apart.

Carlo’s bond with China began in 2010. During his first visit, he was deeply impressed by the warmth and friendliness of the Chinese people. After returning to Italy, he began learning Chinese. In 2013, influenced by a teacher from Liaoning, he came to study at Shenyang Aerospace University. It was there that he not only met his lifelong partner but also made many Chinese friends through football.

Back on the university pitch, Carlo’s football skills quickly earned him an invitation to join the team. Training and playing together day after day brought the players closer. His teammates noticed that he wore a larger shoe size and that his football boots were worn out, so they quietly bought him a new pair. When he missed a penalty, there was no blame, only warm encouragement. These heartfelt moments became some of the most cherished memories of his time in China.

After graduation, Carlo returned to Italy and gradually lost touch with his teammates. Yet the friendship forged on the football field never faded. He had always hoped to reconnect with those old friends. Ten years later, he came back to Shenyang, and unexpectedly, a video on Douyin helped the long-separated friends find each other again.

When they met again, time had left its mark on every face. They were no longer the young men they had once been. That was precisely what made their friendship feel all the more precious. As they stepped onto the pitch and ran side by side once more, their familiar coordination and shouts seemed to bring the years rushing back. More than a decade had gone by, but their chemistry on the field remained unchanged, and so did the warmth between them.

Through football, Carlo found friendship in Shenyang, and the city became his second home. With such a deep attachment to football, he has continued to follow the development of football in Liaoning. Now, he is looking forward to the upcoming Northeast China Football League, hoping that more people will step onto the pitch, make friends through the sport and experience the joy that football brings.