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Originally a world-class defender - though she was a late bloomer, making her international debut at the age of 26 - Bai Jie cemented international recognition as a forward when she struck twice in the first 20 minutes of China’s semi-final win over Korea Republic at this year’s AFC Women’s Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.

FIFAworldcup.com: So why the move into attack?

Bai Jie: Actually, my endurance is not the best. I’m usually one of the last ones in at the end of a long run. But for quick sprints I’m not bad, so I think playing up front actually suits me better.

Which position do you perfer?

When Ma Yuan-an was coach, I was usually put in at left back. That’s where the nickname ‘Roberto Carlos’ came from. But after Ma Liangxing took over as coach, he put me up front. I don’t really prefer one position over the other. As a defender you have a lot of pressure and responsibility so you have to play very cautiously. As a forward, you can bring your individual skills fully into play, be more daring and go all out for the team.”

You have a reputation as a very hard worker, where does that come from?

Both for Bayi Xiangtan and the national team, I’m always just about the hardest working player during training, and I always give my best during games. That’s how I gained the respect of my coaches and fellow players.

You were one of the first Chinese players to join the WUSA, in 2001, what are your feelings about that experience?

The biggest memory I have of U.S. football is of the fierce competition; everyone practising and playing very hard to keep their position on the team … When I first arrived, I was put in at left midfield. There were three other players competing for the same position, and I could feel the pressure every day at practice. The only thing I could do was to work harder to try to protect my place by playing the best I could.

Was that something that you valued?

I was surprised by how committed the players were. They work extremely hard and with great purpose. I’m known as a hard-working player in the China Super League and for the national team, but in the U.S. I quickly found out that I needed to work even harder to keep up with the others … The US league is more fiercely competitive than our own; the pressure is higher, and games shift faster from defence to attack. The Chinese Super League could learn a lot from WUSA, not only in terms of its business and marketing practices, but also in terms of the intensity and competitiveness of the football.”

Why do you think that the United States has had such success at the international level?

From a teamwork and strategic perspective, we should be the best team in the world. But the U.S. players have their own individual strengths, and that’s where they have an advantage … The strong points of the U.S. team can be divided into two main categories. The first is their determination -- their commitment to the game, their tenacity and their unwillingness to admit defeat. The second is their emphasis on individual skills. No one is afraid to try things, to improvise. That’s why they put in such outstanding performances so often.

That’s different for the Chinese team?

Well, other teams tend to place more emphasis on the talent of certain individuals: Mia Hamm, Germany’s Brigit Prinz, France’s Marinette Pichon and the Brazilian playmakers for example. In China, on the other hand, we are constantly focusing on teamwork during training, so individual skills are not up to the standards of some of the other international players.

China seem to have a lot of veterans still playing major roles, do you think that will be a problem this September and moving forward?

China will not fall behind. We have to give the young players sufficient time to practice and gain game experience, and they’ll mature quickly. Don’t forget, we were young once … When China hosts the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2007, that will be a big opportunity for us. If enough importance is placed on women’s football, China will remain one of the top teams in the world.”

And what about your future?

We’ve been training so hard lately, right now all I want to do is sleep for about three days. (laughing)

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