Surprise reunion

Xie Wenzhen also declined the opportunity to pursue a career in the sport. Instead, she studied computers at a vocational school after playing soccer for many years because she thought the subject would help her find a job.

Later, she worked for a clothing company as a saleswoman, clerk and cashier.

The idea of returning to the field came in 2015 when she was diagnosed with hives. She had been having treatment for a while, but the pills made her feel groggy and they had no obvious beneficial effect.

"The hives itched and I couldn't sleep sometimes. A red rash appeared after scratching, just like a caterpillar crawling across and leaving a trail on my skin," the 38-year-old mother of two said.

Xie attributed her illness to stress and lack of exercise. She married a tour guide in 2009, and quit her job after having a second daughter in 2013. In the event, the marriage didn't work out, so she got divorced a year later.

"I was so tired," she said, recalling her busy morning schedule as a single mom: She got up at 5 am to buy and cook breakfast, then took her older daughter to school at 7 am before returning home to care for her baby girl.

She thought playing soccer might boost her immune system, so she contacted her teammates from her teenage years and was surprised to find that more than 10 were willing to meet up. They hadn't seen each other for years, but soccer reunited them.

On the first day they met again, the women, who had barely played soccer after becoming mothers, chatted a lot, asking each other how many children they had.

"Some hadn't changed much, while others had put on weight and wanted to sweat (to lose the extra kilos)," Xie said. During their first practice game, the players were exhausted and had to rest every five minutes.

"I felt like I couldn't breathe. My lips were dry and blanched, but I hadn't run with such joy for a long time. We laughed and teased each other about missing the ball at our feet," Xie said.

Since then, the team's members have played soccer twice a week. Gradually their popularity has risen and their physical stamina has improved.