Sideline Story

French sportsmen in China: Yaya Sanogo's Qingdao journey

In this special episode of Sideline Story, we bring you the story of Yaya Sanogo, a French professional footballer now playing at Chinese club Qingdao Red Lions. Sanogo became a household name when he joined the English Premier League side Arsenal when he was just 19 years old. Having played in Europe only, Sanogo decided to explore a new chapter by signing with a Chinese team in March, 2024. The decision has led to his new perspective about this country and its football culture.

Duration:: 28m
Broadcast on:: 26 Jul 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

Hello and welcome to Sideline's Story, your destination for sports news, analysis and discussions. I'm Yang Guam. As Paris holds the 2024 Olympic Summer Games, we bring you a special podcast series about three French sportsmen's life in China, unveiling their sports stories in the country. In this first episode, we visited Yaya Sanogo, a French footballer now playing at a Chinese club. I like to find the atmosphere, the like football. I think in France, the impression is, "Yeah, China, they don't like football too much, but now I'm in the country, I see the like football." Rad and Black, that's the new colour for Yaya Sanogo, a professional football player from France, now playing for Chinese second-tier club Chindau Red Lions. Sanogo joined Red Lions in March 2024, before this he'd never played in China, he knew nothing about China, but now he has a brand new perspective on China and its football culture. When we visited Sanogo, he and Red Lions were preparing for the Chinese FA Cup game in the fourth round. They were about to face the first-tier club Shenzhen Pong City in a key matchup. When all go home, it was a big challenge. But to Sanogo, challenges are already something he's used to throughout his career. I just signed two days before the big start. I didn't have precision, like the guys I ran behind my phone, a new culture, a team-mate. I didn't have enough time, the jet lag, and to adapt so quick, I think I was proud. And when I scored the first goal, I was like, you know, I feel the great sensation. Like how many football stars commenced to their career, Sanogo fell in love with football when he was just a little child. He showed talent, which was quickly discovered by his school. That changed his life. I started football when I was five years old at the school, at the beginning when I started. And I think if I remember, it was my teacher over from school, tell to my mom to follow me in football, because he saw I have some talent. So after that, my mom bring me other football, so I start at six or six. It was hard because my mom said to him, I'm so young, or he can see I have talent at this age. I think, you know, when you play at this age, you just want to play for fun. But I think in my mentality, I want to be professional, you know, because I like quickly the football, you know. In the early stages of his career, Sanogo was seen as the next big thing in French football. Standing 1.91 meters tall with excellent ball control skills, he was a key member of the nation's youth team and won the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Sanogo's future looked bright for fans of a football management simulation video game. Yaya Sanogo was a famous name before he had even made his senior debut for French club Orsek at age of 16. Sanogo said didier drug ban his idol as his target. The forward from Cote d'Ivoire was one of the best strikers in the world. The power, speed, skills of this player made Sanogo obsessed. He wanted to become another drug bar, scoring splendid goals, and winning country's glories. You know, I support him when he played Marseille, when he played Chelsea, when he scored, every week I celebrate in Lviv, I play against him, when he played at Galata Sarai, he played each other, and after the game he talked with me, he advised me, and he saw we won the World Cup last two months ago, so he was very happy for us and for me. So it was just advice like, advice to big boy, you know, great memory. However, unlike drug bar, Sanogo's professional career has been full of ups and downs. In the beginning, people held high expectations in him. European scouts were following him on daily basis. A phone call decided Sanogo's fate. It was Arsene Wenger, manager of English Premier League signed Arsenal, playing for one of the best clubs in the world, under one of the best managers, was an offer few players could turn down, especially for 20-year-old Sanogo, who was seeking the opening chapter of his career. It was like a dream come true. The feeling was amazing because, you know, when you were served some call from this big club, you know, you feel proud of yourself, you know, especially when you're a San know, it's plus 4-4-4, when I saw the indicative and he said hello, he said, yes, Sanogo is Arsene Wenger, I said no, maybe I dream, you know, I just wake up, it's true, because he's not everything about me, so, and after he said, yeah, can we talk, and when we talk, he said, yeah, if we can eat each other, I'm eating, and you know, the discussion was very quick. I was in my flat, I was just, you look around, I go outside, and I said, ah God, because I said, maybe, you know, it's not true, I said, I will wait until I see, after maybe, I will be inside to my family, but I said, maybe, you know, I wasn't sure, until I see Arsene Wenger. In 2013, Sanogo penned a long-term contract with Arseneau, hopes were high for him in North London, he was seen as a young player full of promise and a raw talent, and a gamble worth taking, especially after he was nominated for the Golden Boy Award in 2013, he was integrated into the first team straight away. But eventually, it didn't work out for him at Amrit Stadium. The only highlight for Sanogo's Arseneau stay was four goals scored in a preseason friendly against Ben Ficke, injuries struck him, ultimately affecting his career. In the end, the French man made just 20 first-team appearances with the North London club in four years. Stains on loan and different clubs were followed by a move back to France with Toulouse. Sanogo played a few quiet seasons in Europe. His next move was somewhere he had not expected himself to be. Qingdao, a coastal city in North China with a population of over 10 million, boasts three professional football clubs across different levels of Chinese leagues. Football is in the genes of this city. Competitive local clubs combined with a strong beer culture make a great football atmosphere here. It's also where Yaya Sanogo started another chapter in his career. The French man joined Red Lions in a surprising move, as he had never signed with the club outside Europe before. He attacked me one of my Asian, and after he said Qingdao was interesting about me, if I'm a Grey, because he knows, he already knows, I had an offer from Europe and he convinced me to come here and see if I can come to China. A bell decision, but also a new adventure. Sanogo said he decided to play in China because he wanted to explore more in his football life. He rejected many offers, including from Scottish clubs, to join the Chinese side. I just played in Europe before, and in my head I didn't know what I will accept when this offer coming, I said okay, you need to stay in Europe, but you know the Europe you play for more than ten years, so now China I come, this offer, so I need to see Yaya because I been to Yaya in 2009 for a tournament, so it was a great experience, you know, I played against Brazil, I scored many more goals, and I remember about Yaya, I said okay, it was good actually, so why not, you can't go to China to see, you know. It was easy decision, and I said okay, let's go. Sanogo's family was initially against his move to China, leaving in a remote country away from the loved ones made them anxious, and what some Western media described about China made them believe this is not a safe country, there was a lot of hesitation in the air. But since Sanogo landed in China, he discovered a new and different side of this country. The initial concerns were gone immediately, it was not only about his life in Qingdao, but also some enjoyable trips to other Chinese cities during their away games. He's found a friendly country that is modern, inclusive, and more importantly safe. He tries to convince everyone around him now that China is different from what they have been told. I think they need to come, you know, because they put some information like negative about China in other countries, I said to them, you need to come to see China, it's completely different. For me, I was very surprised, China is very safe, very open, it's completely different from the New York, and I saw many cities, people are very kind, you know, no pressure from being to Shanghai, to Beijing, to Guangzhou, I saw the city, and it's not like people talking in Europe, that's always I said to them, you need to come, you will see, after you can make the conclusion. Sanogo said he would travel in China someday with his family and let them experience what China is really like today. Sanogo found a new perspective about China, but more importantly, he has regained his scoring form. In the first 10 league games with Qingdao, he netted 5 goals and provided one assist, showcasing impressive efficiency on the pitch. Sanogo adapted quickly, it took him just a few months to go from knowing nothing about the team, to becoming a pillar in their attack. The team has also greatly benefited from Sanogo's contributions, consistently performing well in the league, and securing a firm meat table position. To be fair, I didn't know about anything about the club, I just Googled and I saw some other country, the city, but I didn't know properly about the club, I said yeah, when I will arrive there, I will see, and I will learn, you know, this is a great club, you know, it's a good club, they're promoted to the second division, I think we did a great job at the moment, everybody maybe are surprised because they didn't think we are 9 of the league or 10, and you know, when you just came to serve division, it's ours sometime, you know, and I think we did, we have a great squad, a good player. It's Qingdao Red Lions' first season in the China League, the second year professional competition of the Chinese Football Association. As a rookie team, they needed to recruit quality players to handle the more intense games. It was a quick match between Sanogo and Red Lions. Red Lions didn't start smoothly as there was little time for both sides to adapt, injuries, hit Sanogo again, complicating matters, but once he was ready, he proved he was worth the wait. Head coach Sunqing Boa expressed his satisfaction with Sanogo's role at the club knowing he would be a significant part of the team. Basically, he's met our expectations. Before he came, he didn't go through the systemic training with us. We were informed about being promoted to the second year in the last minute, so we got only a week to make the decision on signing a foreign player and deal with his transfer. Everything was in a rush. For him, it was also a big challenge. Instead of the first game since he arrived, I asked him if he could be available. He said, "You a professional coach, you know my training wasn't enough in the off-season for me to handle high intensity games." But then, fans in Qingdao already knew his arrival. Yaya Sanogo is a well-known name, fans had high expectations for him and people were eager to see him play. Finally, I substituted him on in the final minutes for an official appearance, but he suffered some pain in his leg after that game. We spent almost a month and a half for his body rehabilitation. Until the fifth round against Rushi, I eventually made him in the starting 11, and he was amazing in that game. He scored fantastic goals and we finally witnessed his iconic move of goal celebration, zombie crawl. Everyone was excited and inspired, so it was a difficult start, but Yaya helped us a lot. We also have designed tactics revolving around him. Team Captain Sun Chiu also looks up to Sanogo, quoting him a valuable asset for the squad on and off the field. He performs really well, he's the pillar in our attack. We need his support and he's always ready to help. He used to play in the top European leagues and has stints at Premier clubs. We learn a lot from him, he's a model in self-discipline and always work hard in training. We appreciate that. Red Lions were preparing to face the Chinese Super League side Shenzhen Pan City, a team that competes in the league higher than Red Lions. It's a challenge for both Chindau and Sanogo. Coach Sun sent he would like to see Sanogo to go 100% and help the team win the tough battle. Tomorrow against Shenzhen, we need Yaya with full motivation. He will definitely face stronger competition against the Super League club. He can control the ball while leaning against defenders. He's got impressive capabilities inside the penalty area. He may not be able to be involved in defense around midfield that much, but he tries his best to carry that responsibility as well. His height and his power make him an attacking threat. He's got great shooting skills. We rely on him in attack and see him as a finisher. Only scoring goes can we win. We've talked a lot, he's quite happy about the current situation with a team and he's very satisfied with the tactics around him. Facing such a strong opponent, the last thing the players need is nervousness. Instead, they welcome the knockout match in the light mood. Small, fun, footballing games help here. Split into different groups, they play Heather Relay and kick volleyball games. Laughterfield, the training ground, later an interest squad competition reminds the players to focus on their roles in the game. Two hours of training was exhausting. Sannego went to the gym afterwards for extra workouts. Delegence leads to success and it's a value in China. Sannego said he learned how hard Chinese people work and he's willing to keep pace. This makes it much easier for him and the club to work together. Every culture and every country are completely different. So for me, I learned quickly about different culture because I traveled a lot since '19. So it was new for me, but Chinese people are very kind. They are the ones that we are. That I really appreciate for me is good experience. Sannego's professionalism is valued by head coach Sun, who also praises his leadership role in the locker room. His attitude and his professionalism are excellent. That's also why he can maintain this level and keep playing at this age. I have simple requests about him, scoring more goals. But his influence is beyond just goalscoring. In the locker room, he always inspires teammates in his own way. He also helps a lot on the growth of our young players. He has become a crucial part of this team. Swinn also likes how Sannego roots for the club as if it's his second home. With him, every day, the team is filled with positive atmosphere. He likes talking to each other. Just now, I told him the opponents will come soon for pre-game training sessions. I couldn't put our penalty shootout practice in the end because the other side would see our arrangement. He said, "Oh, we should never leak this to them. We must practice spot kick after the passing practice and before the full squad training. So they won't be able to see our plan." He gets me. Little things like this happen every day inside the team. Match day. Head coach Swinn gathered all the players for the final meeting ahead of the knockout game. He emphasized the need for fighting spirits and the concentration on the pitch. Facing Shenzhen, the coach told his players not to feel too much pressure and to see themselves as challenges. Sannego was put up front as the soul forwards, focusing on receiving the ball from the back and creating chances for his teammates. Sannego's height is the most lethal weapon in the squad, and the coach Swinn designed different set-piece strategies hoping to find him in the air. After a simple meal, the team set off to the stadium. They would play at Qingdao West Coast's home stadium as a neutral venue for Cup Game. Fans were already outside the stadium, cheering for their home team. As a young club, Qingdao Red Lions attract a lot of teenage fans. They are proud of this team, and they very much look forward to Yaya Sannego's performance that night. He is an essential part of this red-line squad. He can create chances for teammates, and he can score by himself. We were all excited when he learned that he was joining red-lines. I mean, he was an Arsenal player, we had full expectations for him. He played in high-level games before with Arsenal, so I was eager to see his games. He has delivered his best so far. His header is especially impressive. We appreciate his decision to join red-lines, and he has injected new impetus into this team. Inside the locker room, every player was busy preparing themselves for the upcoming game. Coach Swinn kept telling the players not to be stressed, but tension was palpable. Sannego listened to music and had some bananas. That's how he calms himself down ahead of games. A quick snack gave simmed energy boots to gather through the first half. A pregame massage was also necessary to ensure the body was physically ready, preventing potential non-contact injuries during the game. Sannego put on his shirt. Here's the game. It's a physical game. A fierce tackle already hurt red-lines midfielder Samuel Osmoas back early on. Red-lines managed to find some space on the veins, but they couldn't connect with Sannego in the middle. The two teams were in a stalemate around midfield and created few opportunities. The first half ended new new. Back in the locker room at half time, the head coach was happy about the team's performance in the first 45 minutes. He hoped they would keep pace with changing in his second half. The coach emphasized that players should pass the ball more decisively to find Sannego and create more chances. The adjustment almost paid off. Switching the side, red-lines sped up in their attack. More one touch passes troubled Sannego's defence. Sannego was heavily marked, but still managed to deliver two nice feats up front. Unfortunately, his teammates missed those open shots. On the other side, a huge defensive mistake led to a foul on the Shenzhen forward inside the box. penalty. Adugasiya converted the spot kick. Diego Lianko's individual effort later extended Pong City's lead. Worn out, red-lines were unable to organize effective attack. Sannego was substituted off. Final whistle. Tumdao suffered a junior defeat and got knocked out from the Chinese FA Cup. Despite the frustrating loss, Sannego didn't lose faith in his team. He believed Tumdao could get better if they learn from losses like this. "It's hard to lose the game, you know, because every game you try our best to win. And today we can see some stupid goals, but you know, it's a cup game now we need to be focused for our next game is a league and that's the most important thing. We need to learn about some games like this, you know, trying to make some mistake like this like today. So for them, very quick and trying our best, you know." Sannego sent his impressed with the competitiveness of Chinese football teams. And there are some good players from both his team and the opponents. "In our league, you never know if you will win or not, especially big team when the player against hers, they think maybe it will be easy and you know, as I say, very hard because it's very physical and you see the league is tight. Not many points to first to 10, 10 to 16, you know, they are very intense." Sannego also gave his advice for players who are potentially considering a move to China. "To come in China, you need to put your feet in the league for trying to stay longer. Some players are calling me about China or is China or is it the league, the lifestyle, you know. I recommend I said you can come, the league is nice, the lifestyle is good, you know, especially football, you didn't know about football, that is good, so if you have some clever, interesting about you, you can come because I'm happy in China, because many players are calling me about China. If you have all this opportunity, I said to them, take it, it's not the same market like you know what." This summer Sannego's home country, France, hosts the Olympics. He said he will watch some Olympic action in track and field since one of his friends will compete in Paris. "I will follow my friend, one friend, he is from a triple jump, I don't know if you know him, but he is very famous in France, he is a tegettongue and he will come back about his Olympic and he will follow his competition, I hope he will win, it will be hard because I think he stopped for 2 or 3 years and I will come back, so I will support him." Just as Olympians compete for their athletic goals, Sannego is on the road of pursuing his football success in Qingdao. He said he hopes to leave his mark on Qingdao Red Lions and France in the city. "I need to do my best to help the team, you know, with God everything is possible and if you are a strange and you work out everything is possible, you know. Me, I just won't focus on my job, I didn't play consistently like this, I can say now I feel like 60% of my level every game I progress, if I continue like this, keep working hard like this, I think it would be very interesting." With that we end this episode of our special side line story series on the French sports men in China. Thank you so much for listening. Next week we will go to Ujiao Shanden Paris and tell the story of how a French BMX racing coach helped his Chinese riders realize sports dreams. For more information you can also check out our website, radio.cgtn.com, and you next time. See you!