On November 30, the 2025 SJTU Freshmen Sports Culture Festival – Football Carnival & Adidas Campus Football Day was held at Hufa Kuang Stadium on the Minhang Campus. Zinedine Zidane, the legendary French football star and Adidas brand ambassador, visited SJTU together with Kuai Jiwen, a rising talent of the Chinese national football team. They joined more than 4,000 students and faculty members in a grand football celebration, bringing energy and athletic spirit to the winter campus.

The event was attended by Adrian Siu, Managing Director of Adidas Greater China; Yu Zhengrong, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing for Adidas Greater China; Patrick Wu, Senior Vice President of Product for Adidas Greater China; Zhang Ansheng, Executive Deputy Director of the University Affairs Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Gong Qiang, Party Secretary of the Department of Physical Education; Wang Kun, Director of the Department of Physical Education; and other distinguished guests.

As Zidane stepped onto SJTU’s lush green pitch, the stadium erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. The world-renowned football master—three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Ballon d’Or winner, and the coach who led Real Madrid to an unprecedented three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles—arrived with both his passion for the sport and his hopes for young players. Appearing alongside him was Kuai Jiwen, rising star of the Chinese national men’s team and midfielder for Shanghai Port FC. Their cross-generational encounter instantly ignited the atmosphere, sending excitement across the entire stadium.

Zidane expressed his delight at visiting the SJTU campus, noting that he could truly feel the university’s strong sporting spirit and the students’ passion for athletics. Kuai Jiwen shared that, as a long-time admirer of Zidane, he felt honored to stand alongside his idol at SJTU and to witness firsthand the enthusiasm of today’s university students for football and the vibrant sports culture of the campus.

During the “Marseille Turn Masterclass” at the Adidas Football Training Camp, Zidane personally demonstrated and explained his signature move to members of the SJTU football team and campus football enthusiasts. From rhythm changes to body balance control, every detail reflected the mastery of a true legend. Kuai Jiwen also shared insights from his journey—from youth training to joining the national team. The two guests interacted with students on the pitch, giving SJTUers a rare, up-close experience of world-class football skills.

In the highly anticipated six-a-side football friendly match, the SJTU Student United Team faced off against the representative team of Qibao High School, with Zidane and Kuai Jiwen serving as special guest coaches for the two sides. On the field, the distinguished guests offered attentive guidance on tactics and positioning; on the sidelines, the crowd erupted with cheers for every brilliant play. The match showcased the vigor and dynamism of today’s university and high school students, as both teams embodied the spirit of sport and the energy of youth through football.

At the closing ceremony, Gong Qiang extended a warm welcome and heartfelt appreciation to Zidane and Kuai Jiwen for their visit. He encouraged students to draw strength from these exemplary figures, to absorb the passion and resilience embodied in the spirit of sport, and to carry that motivation into their studies and daily lives.

In his closing remarks, Adrian Siu expressed sincere appreciation to Zidane and Kuai Jiwen, and highly commended the enthusiasm shown by the participating students and the SJTU community for football activities. He expressed hope that this event would serve as a catalyst for strengthening university–enterprise collaboration and injecting greater vitality into the development of sports.

On behalf of the university, Zhang Ansheng presented Zidane with an honorary plaque naming him an “SJTU Campus Football Mentor.” In return, Zidane gifted the university a pair of Predator football boots bearing his personal signature. This exchange of gifts symbolized the passing on of sporting spirit and expressed mutual hopes for a brighter future for campus football in China.

As a key component of the 2025 SJTU Sports Culture Festival, the award ceremony for the 2025 SJTU Freshmen Cup Football Tournament was held during the event’s closing session. Yu Zhengrong and Zhang Ansheng presented medals to the championship team—the Computer Science & Automation-Perception United Team—while Zidane awarded the championship trophy. Kuai Jiwen presented the awards for Best Player, Top Scorer, and Best Goalkeeper, and Wang Kun presented the award for Best Referee.

This event was co-hosted by the SJTU Sports Committee and Adidas Sports (China) Co., Ltd., and organized by the Department of Physical Education, the Youth League Committee, and the Student Union. It represents a continued effort to enrich campus sports culture and to inject new momentum into the development of campus football.

Event Highlights

Source: Department of Physical Education\ Text: Xue Xiaotian, Zhang Qing\ Photography: Visual Creative Center – Mei Qiuwu\ Nanyang Communication Agency – Liang Peng, Wang Jinyao, Zhao Bo, Dai Xianchen\ Adidas Official\ Editor: Chen Yuyang\ Chief Editor: Jin Xue

Translated by: Zara

Proofread by: Rebecca

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