Career in football? Why Hong Kong parents let son, 10, go to Spain to chase dream
So Loi-keung played for Hong Kong, but says son Johnny would have no pathway in the city. Now big Spanish clubs are taking notice
A child stating an ambition to play for Real Madrid would concern some Hong Kong parents, who are often said to be reluctant to view sport as a viable career. But budding footballer Johnny So Chun-lam’s mother and father have embraced his aspiration.
The 11-year-old Johnny is the son of former Hong Kong midfielder So Loi-keung, who invested in every sense when he and his wife, Miu, allowed Johnny to move to Spain last July, aged 10.
“There are many talented children here, but Hong Kong lacks the football pathway to persuade parents to let them pursue their dreams,” said So Snr, who won three Hong Kong caps and played for Tai Po, Kitchee and Rangers.
He said there was “limited room for development as a professional player in Hong Kong”.
“The salaries are not good, there’s no retirement package, and if you’re injured, you just get abandoned. I tell Johnny, if he comes back to Hong Kong, football will not be his path.”