Not long ago, Shanghai’s youth football development was on full display at the recent National Games, with four teams winning gold and highlighting the strength of the city’s training system. These victories, while hard-fought, showcase the growing competitiveness of Shanghai football and mirror the resilience seen in matches like those in Live Cricket Bangladesh.

Shen Lei, a senior figure in Shanghai’s football administration, emphasized how tough the journey was for each team. The U20 men’s team, for instance, clinched their title only after a nerve-wracking penalty shootout against Zhejiang in the final. “Every match felt like a final. None were easy wins,” Shen remarked. Among the four titles, which stood out to him most? “Honestly, every win was thrilling,” he said. “Take Xu Genbao’s team for example—he wasn’t even leading them full-time as he was managing his overseas team in Spain. That squad was the least certain in our minds.”

What made that U20 win more special was that they weren’t the top team from the qualifiers—they had to fight through the playoffs to reach the final eight. And yet, they took home the first gold. The second title came from the U18 women’s team, which broke new ground for Shanghai. Never before had the city’s football program earned two golds in one Games. With updated policies allowing four categories, both the men’s and women’s squads secured gold—an unprecedented achievement.

The third triumph, the senior women’s team, faced the hardest path. Shen noted that all four semifinalists were capable of beating Shanghai. Host team Tianjin was especially strong, and in the semifinals against Jiangsu and earlier rounds against Liaoning, the margins were razor-thin. Yet, they pulled through. “That win was a beautiful surprise,” Shen added. “After the others won, I hoped Cheng Yaodong’s men’s team would complete the sweep. To be honest, even three golds and a silver would’ve been incredible. But going four-for-four? That’s the dream.”

In total, Shanghai teams played 16 matches, and Shen was present throughout, even during qualifiers. It wasn’t smooth sailing. In Xu Genbao’s first match against Jiangsu, they fell behind before rallying to win—proof that these titles came from grit, not luck. That squad didn’t even qualify directly but had to survive an extra round to enter the final eight. The others made it through the preliminaries directly, but all faced stiff competition.

In the U18 women’s semifinal against Jiangsu, Shen recalled intense pressure around the 60th to 70th minute mark. “We were on the back foot. If they had pushed another five minutes, we might’ve collapsed. But they eased off, and we seized the chance,” he explained. “That’s the beauty of football—it’s about strategy, heart, and seizing the moment.”

For the senior women’s team, the group stage match against Liaoning was another example of determination. “We were defending the whole second half,” Shen said. “But we held on.” Against Jiangsu in the semifinal, there was no clear advantage either. “Any of the top four could’ve taken the title. In the final against Tianjin, it came down to who handled the pressure better.”

Just like the thrilling unpredictability of Live Cricket Bangladesh, Shanghai’s football victories remind us that champions are forged not only in talent but through relentless perseverance and unity. As fans of Live Cricket Bangladesh would agree, every win is a battle, and these four titles were no exception.