STORY: Dutch football enthusiast pursues dream in China's Tianjin
DATELINE: Sept. 16, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:28
LOCATION: TIANJIN, China
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of training
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): EELCO VAN KUILENBURG, General Manager of Momentum Sports Information Consulting (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
3. various of training
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): EELCO VAN KUILENBURG, General Manager of Momentum Sports Information Consulting (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
5. various of Tsinghua University
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): EELCO VAN KUILENBURG, General Manager of Momentum Sports Information Consulting (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): Member of Tianjin Laowai United
8. various of training

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): EELCO VAN KUILENBURG, General Manager of Momentum Sports Information Consulting (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
"I'm Eelco van Kuilenburg from Holland. I came to China when the 2008 Beijing Olympics were held. I have a passion for football."

Eelco van Kuilenburg has a football dream. Since the age of 12, he had been training in a football club in the Netherlands. 

However, in 2006, a trip to China changed the trajectory of his life.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): EELCO VAN KUILENBURG, General Manager of Momentum Sports Information Consulting (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
"I had been to Chengdu, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La which left me deep impressions. These places are very beautiful. So I decided I would come to China in 2008."

Eelco learned the Chinese language at Tsinghua University in Beijing. His enthusiasm for football has allowed him to make many Chinese friends.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): EELCO VAN KUILENBURG, General Manager of Momentum Sports Information Consulting (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
They train four times a week, so I've lost a lot of weight, and my body is in good shape. So now, if I go to Hong Kong, Chongqing, or Shanghai, I can find teammates in all these places, which I think is quite nice.

In 2012, Eelco settled in Tianjin, a port city neighboring Beijing, and established an 'expats football team' in the city.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): Member of Tianjin Laowai United
"I'm 26 and I'm from Russia. 
I'm from the Republic of Congo.
I'm from France. 
I'm doing business in China."

Now, Eelco has also set up his own company in Tianjin, which organizes professional football training based on an international school in the city.

Here in China, Eelco is pursuing his own dream while helping Chinese children with football aspirations in achieving theirs.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tianjin, China.
(XHTV)