From Manchester United's latest sensation to a figure of ridicule on a reality show—whatever happened to Dong Fangzhuo?
Football is no stranger to tales of unfulfilled potential. Falling to pressure is a common fate, whether it be from peers, the players themselves or hard-to-please fans. But for Dong, the most intense pressure came from shouldering the burden of an entire football-obsessed nation on the other side of the world.
In 2004, introverted Chinese teenager Dong became the first East Asian player to sign for Manchester United. This was long before the newfound riches of the Chinese Super League had put the communist superpower on the footballing map.