Lijiang shines at First Yunnan Football Competition of Ethnic Groups

The First Yunnan Football Competition of Ethnic Groups ended in Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Yunnan province on July 16. The Lijiang team won the championship, topping the Pu'er team 5-2 in the finals.

The Lijiang team wins the championship in the First Yunnan Football Competition of Ethnic Groups. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

As a large-scale ethic group football event initiated in Yunnan, the First Yunnan Football Competition of Ethnic Groups attracted more than 13,000 players comprising of 514 teams from 13 cities and prefectures in Yunnan.

"We have been preparing for this competition for a month, and we are very proud to participate in such a football competitions for ethnic groups," said Wang Weiping, captain of the Lijiang team.

Two players in action during the First Yunnan Football Competition of Ethnic Groups. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]

The Lijiang team is primarily composed of players from the Naxi ethnic group with one member of the Bai ethnic group. Wang Weiping and assistant coach Li Chang formally formed the team in 2007. They have been participating in various competitions in Lijiang and Yunnan province for 12 years and have achieved good results.

Guided by the Yunnan Province Sports Bureau and hosted by the Yunnan Football Association, the competition received support from the China Football Development Foundation.

The Lijiang team and Pu'er team are in fierce competition during the finals. [Photo/xinhuanet.com]