Two players train in the woods near Xixiaoshui village. ZHAO DONGSHAN/FOR CHINA DAILY

The girls often trained after school or during holidays, but since there is no soccer field in their village, some of them trained in the village's public square, while others used relatively smooth grassland.

Their hard work has paid off. The team has won championships in the Yuezhuang Town Primary School Football Tournament over the past several years. In the 2022 and 2023 Yiyuan County Primary and Secondary School Sports Games, it took second and third place, respectively, in the girls' soccer competitions.

The players became small "stars" in the eyes of their classmates. "These girls are not only hardworking but also have a genuine passion for soccer," said Zheng Min, their coach.

In recent years, both boys' and girls' soccer teams have been established in the various towns and villages in Yiyuan, and soccer courses have been introduced. Girls in particular have begun picking up the sport.