80岁球迷老太：不爱广场舞，只爱阿森纳 | Arsenal fascinates Chinese granny

Liu Hongwen, born in 1938, is a retired middle school teacher. Yet she is also a Weibo celebrity and a "Gooner" (nickname for a fan of Arsenal). Her ID is "Grandma Liu the Gooner".

刘鸿闻奶奶生于1938年，是一位退休中学老师，也是微博著名“枪手”——阿森纳球迷。她的微博名就叫“枪手刘奶奶”。

Like many of her peers, before 2002 Liu's life used to center around her offspring. After her oldest son went abroad with his wife and son, she felt losing her sense of what-to-do. "For someone like me, there was no work, no examinations, no children aside to nag, or grandson at home to look after. I just didn't know what to do."

2002年以前，刘鸿闻过着和同龄人一样，围着儿孙打转的生活。不过，随着长子带着家人远赴国外，她觉得自己的生活突然没有了动力。“像我这样的老人，不用工作，也不用考试，现在连儿子也不用操心，不用带孙子了，突然不知道该干什么。”

It was during the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan. With only an hour's time difference and the matches dominating the screen, she tried to watch some of them. "It was the round of 16 match between Spain and the Republic of Ireland. There played overtime and had a penalty shoot-out. So exciting!"

恰逢韩日世界杯激战正酣，时差也短，白天打开电视就是球赛。刘鸿闻也跟着看了几场球。“结果我就看到了当时西班牙和爱尔兰的十六强淘汰赛。打了加时赛，又打了点球大战，太刺激了。”

From then on, she became a football fan. She didn't know about the major European football leagues until she watched a match in the UEFA Champions League in 2006.

从此，这位奶奶便爱上了足球。但当时，她还不知道有五大联赛，直到2006年，才看到欧洲冠军联赛。

"I saw how Arsenal was defeated by FC Barcelona in the Final. I felt for them and became a Gooner," says Liu. "I've already missed their peak time!"

“当时阿森纳在决赛输给了巴萨，我非常同情，就从那时候开始喜欢他们。”刘鸿闻说，“不过我已经错过了阿森纳最好的四年。”

"The Gunners were young and vigorous. Their passes were so elegant." Tomáš Rosický was her favorite. "He had an artistic style of play. People nicknamed him 'the Little Mozart' for his ability to 'orchestrate' the midfield. Nobody else could dribble smoothly like he did."

“那时候的阿森纳球员，个个都特别年轻，朝气蓬勃的。传接都特别赏心悦目。”刘鸿闻最喜欢的球星是罗西基。“他踢球很有艺术性，别人说他是用脚来拉小提琴，管他叫莫扎特。在球场上没有人能像他踢得那么好，那么好看。”

The ex-manager of Arsenal Football Club, Arsène Wenger has a mixed reputation. Yet Liu is a firm supporter of his. "I like his idea of cultivating young football players." She's also fond of Wenger's integrity: "He'd been at Arsenal for 22 years. He could have left after their most impressive winning streaks. Also when the team was on the decline, he rejected offers from other clubs. He loved Arsenal, and he wasn't there only for the paycheck. He changed the style of football in England."

阿森纳的前主教练温格饱受争议，但刘鸿闻始终支持他。“他的执教理念特别好，特别注重培养年轻球员。”而且，刘鸿闻特别看好他的人品：“他在阿森纳22年。他本可以在成绩很好的时候走。阿森纳状态不好的时候，其他俱乐部想和他签约，他也没有走。他对阿森纳有感情，不以金钱至上。他改变了英格兰的足球风格。”

With her son's help, she registered and found more football fans on Weibo. She interacts with them a lot, and often attends the fan events.

在儿子的帮助下注册微博之后，刘鸿闻发现了更多志同道合的球迷。她不仅在网上和大家互动，还常常参加球迷举办的活动。

注：Granny Liu and Arsenal player Granit Xhaka took a photo in Emirates Stadium.

注：In 2014, granny Liu witnessed Arsenal winning the FA Cup at Wembley stadium.

Despite the victories and failures, Liu also falls for the drama on the pitch. "There is great happiness and sorrow, turning points and own goals, kindness and deceptions," she says. "For example, instead of celebrating his victory, Klose always comforts the defeated first." When he showed signs of transferring Cesc Fàbregas, Liu even wrote to the clubs expressing her unwillingness to see him bought or sold. 

在输赢之外，绿茵场上的人性也感动着刘鸿闻。“足球里有大喜大悲，有逆转，有意想不到的乌龙，也有善良和欺骗。”她说，“比如克洛泽，每次胜利之后，他都不先去庆祝，而是去安慰失败者。”在法布雷加斯露出转会迹象之时，她还给俱乐部写信，表达自己不希望看到球员被买卖的心情。

Most of her favorite stars have retired in the past 12 years. She has become more rational and peaceful watching the games than she was before. "I only talk about Arsenal when I'm with the Gooners, not when there are fans of other clubs. It's about respect."

看球十二年，刘鸿闻当年喜欢的球星基本都退役了。她现在看比赛也不像当年那么激动，而是特别理性，特别顺其自然。“我一般只在阿森纳球迷的小圈子提阿森纳，在别人跟前不提。我觉得这是对别的球队的尊重。”

In 2014, Liu's youngest son bought her a ticket to a match at Wembley Stadium, where she witnessed Arsenal win the Football Association Challenge Cup again. Later she was invited to take a tour of the Arsenal Football Club in 2017. "I saw young lads going to the matches with their old men. I saw grey-haired couples support their favorite teams together. It's their passions that will be passed on."

2014年，小儿子给她买票，让她在温布利球场见证了阿森纳时隔9年夺得英格兰足总杯的冠军。2017年，她受邀参观阿森纳俱乐部。“我在那边看到儿子搀着年老的父亲一起去看球，还有老夫妇一起支持喜爱的球队。他们对足球和球队的热爱是有传承的。”

"Among all my identities, a football fan prevails." Watching and learning about football, Liu feels more fulfilled than lonely. As she says, "Any club in the world you name it, Arsenal will always be my favorite."

“我的所有身份中，球迷成就最高。”开始看球之后，刘鸿闻学习足球和球队的知识，给自己补课，觉得心里有了寄托，情感上不再那么寂寞。毕竟，对她来说，“世界那么大，只爱阿森纳。”

Cameraman: Wang Yunfei

Film editor: Cai Yuying, Ma Mingyuan

Story written by: Zhu Siqi

English editor: Melissa Chua

往期链接：

Suggestions and Cooperation

请读者广提建议，您的建议很重要

投稿与合作：[e-mail]