Enlightenment coach talks about Li Hao: Initially reluctant to be a goalkeeper, became a penalty-saving expert at 11, no doubt about his place in the national team

Reporter Wang Wei reports On the evening of January 17th Beijing time, Li Hao, the U23 national team goalkeeper from Guangzhou Liwan, blocked a penalty shot from Uzbekistan, sending China into the U23 Asian Cup semifinals and making history. Across four games, he made 24 saves and kept opponents scoreless for over 400 minutes. Chinese football has not had such an astonishing goalkeeper for a long time.

Recently, our reporter returned to the Guangzhou Liwan District Stadium to have an in-depth conversation with Li Hao’s first coach, veteran Liwan Sports School coach Lin Jiemin, to uncover the detailed stories of discovering and nurturing Li Hao back then.

Li Hao graduated from Guangzhou Liwan District Jiang Guangnai Memorial Primary School, and the Guangzhou Liwan District Stadium was where he trained as a child. Three years ago, our paper interviewed Li Hao’s first coach Lin Jiemin here. At that time, the Liwan football field was still under renovation; now it features a 7-a-side artificial turf pitch. It was here that Coach Lin shared with us the story of Li Hao’s growth.

Coach Lin Jiemin, now in his seventies, has trained many local Guangzhou players over the years. Early on, he coached players like Zhao Yuhuai, Feng Yongxiang, Liu Jiaqiang, Yang Qihua, Xie Minghua, Huang Yonghui during the Guangzhou Sun God and Songri eras. Later, players such as Dai Xianrong, Li Zhihai, Liang Zicheng followed. During his time at Rizhiquan, Evergrande, and R&F, he developed talents including Guo Zichao, Li Jiaqi, Wen Yongjun, Su Yuliang, Wei Guoren, Wang Erduo, Tang Wenxuan, and Wei Zongren. Earlier than Li Hao, Chen Jiahao and Li Guangyao, who were selected to train in Spain, were also Coach Lin’s students. Among these players, besides Li Hao, more than a dozen disciples like Zhao Yuhuai, Dai Xianrong, and Guo Zichao have been selected for various national teams including Olympic, youth, and junior squads.

When asked which save left the deepest impression on him during the U23 Asian Cup matches, Coach Lin said, “The moment that impressed me most was when China played against Australia, and Li Hao rushed out to block a shot with his chest. If he had come out half a second later, it would have been a goal. His reaction was incredibly quick.”

“Usually, kids don’t like playing as goalkeepers. When Li Hao was in third grade and about to join a Guangzhou city competition, I noticed he had good physical attributes, was brave, agile, and receptive to coaching, so I started training him as a goalkeeper,” Coach Lin revealed. Although Li Hao initially disliked the position, he soon showed exceptional talent. “At first, he didn’t want to be a goalkeeper. Then I talked to him, saying, ‘We’ll play together normally, but before matches, you train with me for two weeks on goalkeeping skills.’ That’s how he agreed to try it. Later, he kept playing as goalkeeper and improved steadily. He saved many counterattack shots because he anticipated the play and came out to intercept. Many people said Li Hao was excellent even then.”

Coach Lin disclosed that when Li Hao was selected through the Wanda trial to train in Spain, the foreign coach picked him first. “The foreign coach recognized his football talent and awareness. When guarding the goal, Li Hao could come out to intercept the ball 30 meters from the goal, which was like having an extra defender. Actually, many districts wanted to recruit him when he was still in primary school.”

Li Hao once played as a center-back during his childhood. Coach Lin said, “Before Li Hao graduated from primary school, during a district match, the opposing center forward was very tall, so I had Li Hao temporarily play as a center-back to mark him. That was the only time he filled in as a center-back. Some people mistakenly thought Li Hao started as a midfielder, but that’s not true; he just played one match as a center-back.”

By saving the penalty against Uzbekistan, Li Hao helped China reach the U23 Asian Cup semifinals and became the team’s hero again. Coach Lin shared details about Li Hao’s penalty-saving experiences: “When playing for Liwan Sports School and representing Guangzhou in youth competitions, Li Hao saved penalties in several important matches. Later, in the provincial games representing Guangzhou, he saved a penalty in the semifinal against Shenzhen, and they eventually won the championship.”

Coach Lin explained, “In 2015, I led the Guangzhou youth team (U11) to a national competition in Chongqing. In the semifinal penalty shootout, Li Hao saved two penalties to eliminate Dalian’s team. In the final, they won 4-0 against the host Chongqing team and claimed the championship. Li Hao kept a clean sheet for seven consecutive matches. That victory was largely thanks to him. Several scouts from Chinese Super League clubs noticed Li Hao then and approached me to sign him. At that time, Li Hao was only 11 years old, and many people and clubs believed he was a promising goalkeeper.”

“His strengths are quick reflexes, bravery, and strong awareness. His awareness partly comes from often being allowed to play outfield when he was young because he could read the opponent’s moves and anticipate. Now he plays with growing confidence. I hope he continues working hard to make it to the national team,” Coach Lin said.

“Whether it was the U20 Asian Cup or this U23 Asian Cup, Li Hao’s performance has been stable. This time, he was more mature and confident. Seeing his progress always makes me happy. Li Hao loved playing football from a young age and started training at Liwan Sports School early on. His home was quite far, and his grandmother took him to training every day. His achievements today are inseparable from his family’s care and his own hard work.”

Three years ago, Li Hao was playing in Spain. After returning to the Chinese Super League, Coach Lin believes: “Since joining Qingdao West Coast as the starting goalkeeper, Li Hao has played more matches, gaining confidence and experience. His performances have become more consistent, especially in these recent U23 Asian Cup games, where he showed high quality and skill. Of course, some luck also helped lead China into the semifinals.”

Coach Lin believes Li Hao’s goalkeeping traits are innate, with courage being his greatest strength. “I think these qualities are natural. If a player lacks courage or agility, training can hardly change that. Li Hao being a goalkeeper is somewhat instinctive. That’s why I chose him for this position. Moreover, he communicates well with teammates on the field, which is very important. Even as a child, he called out to teammates, which helped the team’s defense,” Coach Lin said.

At the end of last year, Coach Lin and Li Hao reunited in Guangzhou. Li Hao also played a match with his fellow students. Coach Lin described Li Hao as warm and sincere. “I think his personality is closely related to his family upbringing. For example, when his grandmother brought him to training, she was very friendly and always chatted with me. Li Hao was influenced by such family education. Every year after the season ends, he comes back to Guangzhou to visit me. This year, our students had a rare big reunion at year-end. I told him, and Li Hao promised to come. He arrived on November 29th.”

Lin Jianhua, vice president of the Liwan District Football Association and also one of Li Hao’s coaches, expressed his admiration: “I always felt Li Hao was very brave on the field, with excellent awareness and talent. He has set a great example for young footballers in Liwan and Guangzhou.” Li Qinglong, executive vice president of the Liwan Football Association, praised Coach Lin’s contribution: “Li Hao met a great first coach in Lin Jiemin, which played a crucial role in his technical development.”

Regarding Li Hao’s growth, Coach Lin is full of hope: “After playing professional leagues and gaining more match experience, his confidence and skills have improved. Li Hao’s naturally cheerful personality boosts his confidence on the field. This character also inspires his teammates greatly.”

For his disciple’s future, Coach Lin offered his advice: “I believe Li Hao has no problem joining the national team. If he wants to achieve greater success, I hope he can build a stronger physique. Right now, he is still a bit lean. Since many teams’ strikers are tall and strong, enhancing his physical strength for duels is necessary.”

Finally, Coach Lin shared his views on Chinese football: “From the first few games of this U23 Asian Cup, we must stay clear-headed. Although the team advanced, we lack technical superiority. In recent years, national youth teams have repeatedly failed in major tournaments. I think one reason is the conflict between education and sports, with many parents focusing mainly on academics, resulting in fewer children participating in football training. A narrow talent pool makes it hard to find gifted players. Another reason is that youth training is too adult-focused, neglecting individual technical skills and emphasizing tactics or physical training too early. I believe children should be encouraged to confidently control, dribble, and break through. When their individual skills improve, they won’t fear opponents’ pressing and can execute smooth teamwork and adapt to game situations as coaches require!”