一张老照片，背后是跨越50年的足球之约。半世纪的绿茵情谊，在伟人故里温暖上演。

4月26日，爱尔兰都柏林大学足球队元老代表团来到湖南韶山，深情缅怀毛泽东同志，随后走进韶山镇泰小学，与学校师生、小球员亲切交流互动，用足球续写中爱民间友好新篇章。

1976年，爱尔兰都柏林大学足球队远赴中国，成为第一支访问新中国的西欧球队。他们辗转多座城市，以球会友，用一颗足球开启一段友好故事。他们曾在1976年9月12日专程前往韶山参加群众悼念活动，埋下了中爱友谊的种子。

50年后，当年的青年球员已成白发长者，他们跨越万里重访中国，沿着当年足迹来到韶山，怀着崇敬之心缅怀伟人，重温那段珍贵的历史记忆。

一颗足球跨越国界与年龄。当天下午，代表团来到韶山镇泰小学，老球员们走进绿茵场，和孩子们零距离互动，手把手教传球、分享踢球经验，欢声笑语不断。

一颗足球连接起两个国家，跨越了半个世纪。代表团成员纷纷表示，50年前的中国之行让他们终生难忘，中国人民的热情友善一直记在心里，如今看到中国的巨大变化和热爱足球的少年们，更觉得这份友谊珍贵又美好，期待未来续写更多动人的中爱友好篇章。

An old photograph bears witness to a 50-year football covenant. Half a century of green-field friendship unfolds warmly in the hometown of the great man.

On April 26, a delegation of football veterans from University College Dublin (UCD) in Ireland arrived in Shaoshan, Hunan, to pay profound tribute to Comrade Mao Zedong.Later, they visited Zhentai Primary School in Shaoshan, engaging in cordial interactions with teachers, students and young players, opening a new chapter in people-to-people friendship between China and Ireland through football.

In 1976, the UCD football team traveled far to China, becoming the first Western European side to visit the People’s Republic of China. They traveled across multiple cities, bonded through football, and kicked off a friendship with a single ball.On September 12, 1976, they made a special trip to Shaoshan to attend public mourning activities, sowing the seeds of China-Ireland friendship.

Fifty years on, the young players of yesteryear have become white-haired elders. Traveling thousands of miles, they revisited China and followed in their footsteps to Shaoshan.With reverence, they paid tribute to the great man and revisited those precious historical memories.

A football transcends borders and ages. That afternoon, the delegation arrived at Zhentai Primary School in Shaoshan. The elderly players stepped onto the pitch, interacting with children up close, teaching them to pass the ball and sharing their playing experience amid constant laughter.

A football connects two countries across half a century. Delegation members said the 1976 China trip remained etched in their hearts, as did the Chinese people’s warmth and kindness. Witnessing China’s tremendous changes and football-loving youngsters today, they cherish this precious, beautiful friendship and look forward to writing more touching chapters of China-Ireland friendship in the future.

策划：张权 秦慧英

记者：田梦瑶 张劲夫

视频：龙英

翻译校对：张锦铭

责编：王柯沣

一审：王柯沣

二审：秦慧英

三审：张权

来源：湖南日报·新湖南客户端