China's ex-PSG player felt "retired" during virus-enforced break

Chinese women's football star Wang Shuang revealed that she felt like a retired player when she was stranded in the then-epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan.

BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese women's football star Wang Shuang revealed that she felt like a retired player when she was stranded in the then-epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan.

The 25-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, who was left stuck in Wuhan when the city was locked down on January 23, could not return to join up with the Chinese national team until April 9, when outbound travel restrictions on Hubei's provincial capital were lifted.

"No proper training in 77 days! It never happened before in my career, and I felt like a retired players during that period," the Wuhan native said.

"It definitely took a heavy toll on me, and after I came back to the national side, my priority is to recover my physical fitness," she added.

Wang is currently training with the national team in China's eastern city of Suzhou ahead of the crucial two-legged Olympic qualifying playoff against South Korea - which, according to Wang, could be moved to next February from their original slot this June.

"We will probably play two games with South Korea in February next year. It allows me time to integrate myself into the national team and be well-prepared both mentally and physically," she said.

In February, Wang was pictured kicking a ball on a rooftop in an evident attempt to keep up her fitness.

As the undoubted star of the Chinese side, Wang has won more than 100 caps. She returned to China in July last year after spending a year in the French capital with PSG.

During her spell in Paris, Wang scored eight goals and made seven assists in 27 matches for PSG. ■