Chen Po Liang’s journey as a professional footballer is a story of hard work, perseverance, and learning from both triumphs and setbacks. It all began when Chen, a young player from Chinese Taipei, first dreamed of becoming a professional footballer around the age of 17 or 18. Although he felt disappointed for not being selected for any national youth team, everything changed when he was called up to join the Chinese Taipei Football Senior Team at just 17 years old, which reignited his passion for the game.
陈柏良的职业足球生涯是一个关于努力、坚持以及从成功和挫折中学习的故事。一切始于陈柏良，一名来自中华台北的年轻球员，他在 17 或 18 岁左右首次梦想成为一名职业足球运动员。尽管他因没有入选任何中华台北青年队而感到失望，但当他 17 岁时被召入中华台北队时，一切都改变了，这重新点燃了他对足球的热情。
Chen decided to attend the Taiwan Sports Institute, where his talent quickly caught the attention of the coach. He was soon selected for the Chinese Taipei Olympic training squad, making him the youngest player among teammates born in 1985. “I felt if they could succeed, so could I,” he recalls. This experience strengthened his commitment to work hard and pursue his dream of becoming a professional footballer.
柏良决定就读台湾体育学院，他的天赋很快引起了教练的注意。他很快就入选了中华台北奥运集训队，成为 1985 年出生的队友中最年轻的球员。“我觉得如果其他的球员能做到，我也能，”他回忆道。这段经历坚定了他努力工作和追求成为职业足球运动员梦想的决心。
A significant turning point in his career came when Chen was invited to train with Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan. This experience opened his eyes to what it meant to be a professional athlete. “Living in the players’ dormitory and watching how the Japanese footballers were treated inspired me,” he says. The fans and their dedication particularly struck him; he witnessed football fans eagerly asking players for autographs after training sessions. “Seeing these young footballers living the dream I aspired to made me realize I could achieve my goals too,” he adds.
柏良职业生涯的一个重要转折点是他被邀请到日本横滨水手队训练。这次经历让他明白了职业运动员的意义。“住在球员宿舍，看着日本球员受到的待遇，这让我深受启发，”他说。球迷和他们的奉献精神尤其打动了他；他看到球迷们在训练后热切地向球员索要签名。“看到这些年轻的足球运动员实现了我所渴望的梦想，让我意识到我也能实现自己的目标，”他补充道。
After an impressive performance at Hong Kong’s Long Teng Cup, Chen was approached by many coaches, especially from Hong Kong. Very quickly, he was signed by Hong Kong’s TSW Pegasus FC after being highly recommended by some of the top coaches in Hong Kong. With his great performance at both club and international levels, opportunities from the China League also came knocking on the door very quickly. The rest, as they say, is history.
在香港龙腾杯上表现出色后，许多教练，尤其是香港的教练联系了他。在得到香港一些顶级教练的大力推荐后，他很快被香港天水围飞马足球俱乐部签下。凭借他在俱乐部和国际赛场上的出色表现，中国联赛的机会也很快找上门来。剩下的，正如人们所说，就是历史了。
When discussing the differences between leagues, Chen notes that both the Hong Kong Premier League (HKPL) and the Chinese Super League (CSL) have their strengths. “While there are generally more fans attending CSL matches compared to the HKPL, the attendance in Japan’s J.League is even more massive,” he points out. The quality of football can vary significantly between cities, making it difficult to determine which league is better.
在讨论联赛之间的差异时，柏良指出，香港超级联赛和中国超级联赛都有各自的优势。 “虽然和香港联赛相比，中超联赛的观众人数通常比较多，但日本职业足球联赛的观众人数更多。”他指出。不同城市的足球质量可能存在很大差异，因此很难确定哪个联赛比较好。
Currently, Chen plays for Qingdao West Coast in the Chinese Super League. “We had a realistic goal to stay in the top tier,” he says. At the beginning of the season, the team started well but faced struggles against more experienced teams, finding themselves in the relegation zone at one point. However, they switched head coach and continued to fight hard, ultimately achieving their goal of staying in the Super League. “This was a good result, but there is a lot to learn and grow,” he adds, hoping for more stability in the future.
目前，柏良效力于中超联赛的青岛西海岸。“我们的目标是 （保级）留在顶级联赛。”他说。赛季初，球队开局不错，但在与经验更丰富的球队的比赛中却举步维艰，一度陷入降级区。不过，他们更换了主教练，继续努力拼搏，最终实现了留在中超联赛的目标。“这是一个不错的结果，但还有很多需要学习和成长的地方。”他补充道，希望未来能更加稳定。
Photos: Courtesy of CSL/Qingdao West Coast FC
So having played in China league for nearly a decade, what is Chen’s favourite football memory? According to the 1.8m tall midfielder, One of his favorite memories is from 2016 when he played for Zhejiang (Hangzhou) Greentown. That year, he felt well-prepared and scored in his first game, earning him recognition as the best player in the first round of the league. “That really gave me a lot of motivation to continue the season,” he recalls, noting that this was also the year he learned a lot from Australia legend Tim Cahill. Chen admired Cahill’s work ethic and ability to score crucial goals, which he sought to emulate in his own career. However, despite a strong start, the team faced difficulties and ended up getting relegated. “We needed just one win in our last seven matches, but we didn’t make it,” he reflects. The unpredictability of football can be harsh, but Chen remains focused on the lessons learned and the opportunities for growth.
那么，在中国联赛踢了近十年的伯良最喜欢的足球记忆是什么呢？据这位身高 1.8 米的中场球员说，他最喜欢的记忆之一是 2016 年效力浙江（杭州）绿城的时候。那一年，他觉得自己准备充分，在首场比赛中就进球，并被评为联赛首轮最佳球员。“这真的给了我很大的动力继续这个赛季，”他回忆道，并指出这一年他从澳大利亚传奇球星蒂姆·卡希尔那里学到了很多东西。柏良钦佩卡希尔的职业道德和进球能力，他希望在自己的职业生涯中效仿这种精神。然而，尽管开局强劲，但球队仍面临困难，最终降级。“我们在最后的七场比赛中只需要取得一场胜利，但我们没有做到，”他回忆道。足球的不可预测性可能很残酷，但伯良仍然专注于吸取教训和成长的机会。
Looking toward the future, Chen has set a personal goal to reach 100 caps with the Chinese Taipei Football Team. “I want to be a leader on the field and contribute to the growth of football in our country,” he explains. He believes that for Chinese Taipei football to improve, there needs to be a stronger focus on youth development, better training facilities, and increased support for grassroots football. He envisions young players being given more opportunities to play at higher levels, as he thinks investing in talent from an early age is crucial for the future.
展望未来，伯良设定了一个个人目标，即代表中华台北队出场 100 次。“我想成为球场上的领袖，为我们中华台北的足球发展做出贡献，”他解释道。他认为，要提高中华台北足球水平，就需要更加注重青少年发展、改善训练设施，并加大对基层足球的支持。他设想年轻球员有更多机会在更高水平的比赛中踢球，因为他认为从小投资人才对未来至关重要。
As for the next five years, Chen envisions himself still playing at a high level while also contributing to football development in Chinese Taipei. He hopes to inspire the next generation of players and feels that the experience gained will allow him to take on a mentorship role. He has expressed admiration for players like Tim Cahill, noting how Cahill’s journey and achievements can motivate young footballers worldwide, including those in Chinese Taipei.
至于未来五年，柏良设想自己仍将在高水平比赛中踢球，同时也为中华台北足球发展做出贡献。他希望激励下一代球员，并认为所获得的经验将使他能够担任导师的角色。他对蒂姆·卡希尔这样的球员表示钦佩，并指出卡希尔的旅程和成就可以激励世界各地的年轻足球运动员，包括中华台北的球员。
As Chen Po Liang continues to chase his football dreams, his story serves as an inspiration for young athletes everywhere. Through his experiences, he demonstrates that with hard work, determination, and the courage to face challenges, dreams can indeed become a reality. Chen’s resilience reminds us that the path to success is often paved with dedication and unwavering passion.
随着柏良继续追逐他的足球梦想，他的故事肯定会成为世界各地年轻运动员的灵感来源。
Thank you China Super League’s Qingdao West Coast FC for the exclusive interview. Special mention to SingaCup, Singapore International Youth Cup for making this trip possible.
谢谢中超青岛西海岸给予我们这次采访柏良的机会。并且感谢新亚杯 SingaCup, Singapore International Youth Cup 的大力支持。
Chinese/Mandarin Translation: Google Translate
