首位在男足世界杯正赛开球的中国内地艺人：演员李现的亚特兰大时刻

这个故事的主角，并不是某位球星，而是一位中国演员，他的名字，叫李现。

The protagonist of this story isn't some soccer star, but a Chinese actor, whose name is Li Xian.

李现是中国非常有名的一位男演员，出演过许多热门的电视剧和电影，在国内拥有极高的人气，尤其深受广大年轻观众的喜爱。

Li Xian is a very famous Chinese actor who has starred in many hit TV dramas and films, enjoys extremely high popularity at home, and is especially beloved by the broad mass of young audiences.

那么，问题来了：一位演员，又是怎么和遥远的世界杯，联系到一起的呢？

So here's the question: how could an actor be connected to the far-off World Cup?

原因其实并不复杂——李现是一个国际知名运动品牌的代言人。

The reason is actually not complicated — Li Xian is the ambassador for an internationally renowned sports brand.

所谓代言人，通俗地讲，就是帮某个品牌做宣传、充当品牌形象大使的公众人物。

A so-called ambassador, in plain terms, is a public figure who helps promote a brand and acts as its image representative.

而恰好，这一届世界杯，就有这个运动品牌的赞助。

And as it happens, this World Cup had this sports brand as a sponsor.

于是，品牌方便邀请李现，亲自前往世界杯的比赛现场，去完成一项相当特别的任务——为一场正赛开球。

So the brand invited Li Xian to go to the World Cup venue in person and carry out a rather special task — to kick off an official match.

在许多大型足球比赛正式开始之前，主办方常常会邀请一位特别的嘉宾，来进行一个简短而隆重的开球仪式，象征性地为这场比赛拉开序幕。

Before many big soccer matches officially begin, the organizers often invite a special guest to perform a short, ceremonious kickoff, symbolically getting the match underway.

而这一次被选中的开球嘉宾，正是李现。

And the kickoff guest chosen this time was Li Xian.

据说，在正式公布之前，品牌方还特意发布了一封措辞十分有趣的"聘书"，用半开玩笑的口吻，正式"聘请"李现担任世界杯的开球嘉宾，而李现本人也俏皮地回应了一句"使命必达"。

They say that before the official announcement, the brand even released an "appointment letter" with very amusing wording, half in jest, formally "appointing" Li Xian as the World Cup kickoff guest, and Li Xian himself playfully replied, "Mission will be accomplished."

这样一来一往的互动，让不少网友看了，都觉得既正式，又充满趣味。

This back-and-forth interaction made many netizens who saw it feel it was both formal and full of fun.

李现开球的那场比赛，是西班牙对阵沙特阿拉伯的一场小组赛，比赛的地点，在美国的亚特兰大。

The match Li Xian kicked off was a group-stage game, Spain versus Saudi Arabia, and the venue was Atlanta in the U.S.

不过，需要特别说明的是，李现的这一次开球，和很多人想象当中的画面，其实并不太一样。

However, it needs to be specially explained that Li Xian's kickoff this time was actually not quite the picture many people imagined.

不少人想当然地以为，所谓"开球"，就是嘉宾笔直地站在球场中央，对着皮球，用力地踢出一脚。

Many took it for granted that a so-called "kickoff" means the guest stands bolt upright in the center of the field and gives the ball a hard kick.

但实际上，李现所完成的，是另外一种形式的仪式。

But in fact, what Li Xian completed was another form of ceremony.

他双手郑重地捧着比赛专用球，在国际足联工作人员的陪同下，一步步缓缓地走上球场。

He solemnly carried the official match ball with both hands and, accompanied by FIFA staff, slowly walked onto the pitch step by step.

随后，他将这颗足球，轻轻地放在球员入口处一个专门设置的底座之上，又转身向着全场数万名观众挥手致意，并和这颗足球合影留念。

Then, he gently placed this ball on a specially set-up pedestal at the players' entrance, turned to wave in greeting to the tens of thousands of spectators, and posed for a photo with the ball.

据现场的人描述，李现当天穿着十分得体，神情之间，既带着几分紧张，又难以掩饰内心的兴奋。

According to people at the scene, Li Xian was dressed very smartly that day, his expression carrying a touch of nervousness while unable to conceal the excitement within.

整个仪式的过程，动作本身其实并不复杂，但它所承载的意义，却非同寻常。

The process of the whole ceremony was actually not complicated in its actions, but the meaning it carried was extraordinary.

因为，李现是第一位在男足世界杯正赛上，完成赛前开球仪式的中国内地艺人。

Because Li Xian is the first Chinese mainland artist to complete a pre-match kickoff ceremony at a men's World Cup match.

在他之前，还从来没有任何一位中国内地的演员或艺人，能够以这样一种身份，真正地站上世界杯的绿茵赛场。

Before him, no Chinese mainland actor or artist had ever been able, in such a role, to truly stand on the green pitch of the World Cup.

所以，李现的这一次亮相，可以说是实实在在地，为中国人创造了一个全新的"第一"。

So this appearance by Li Xian genuinely created, for Chinese people, a brand-new "first."

这件事，很快就在中国的各大网络平台上传播开来，让无数中国球迷，都感到既激动，又自豪。

This quickly spread across China's major online platforms, making countless Chinese fans feel both excited and proud.

要知道，中国男足这一届，其实并没有能够打进世界杯的决赛圈。

You should know that China's men's team did not, in fact, make it into the finals of this World Cup.

也正因为如此，能够在世界杯的赛场上，看到一张如此熟悉的中国面孔，就显得格外难得，也格外珍贵。

And precisely because of this, getting to see such a familiar Chinese face on a World Cup pitch felt especially rare, and especially precious.

不少球迷感慨地说，虽然中国队这次无缘世界杯，但能够看到中国人以这样一种特别的方式，出现在世界杯的舞台上，心里依然觉得无比温暖。

Many fans sighed that, although the Chinese team missed out on the World Cup this time, being able to see a Chinese person appear on the World Cup stage in such a special way still felt incredibly heartwarming.

也有人认为，这件事，其实从一个侧面说明了，中国和世界顶级足球之间的距离，正在一点一点地慢慢拉近。

Others felt that this, from one angle, shows that the distance between China and top world soccer is slowly closing, bit by bit.

事实上，在这一届世界杯上，已经先后有好几位中国人，以不同的身份登上了赛场。

In fact, at this World Cup, several Chinese people have already appeared on the pitch in different roles, one after another.

比如，中国裁判马宁，就执法了本届世界杯的比赛，凭借出色的表现，赢得了不少赞誉。

For example, Chinese referee Ma Ning officiated a match at this World Cup, winning much praise for his outstanding performance.

也就是说，在世界杯的赛场之上，早已有中国的专业人士，在默默地贡献着自己的力量。

That is to say, on the World Cup pitch, Chinese professionals have long been quietly contributing their strength.

而李现，则是这些中国面孔当中，第一位、同时也是唯一一位，以"开球嘉宾"这一身份正式登场的中国娱乐艺人。

And Li Xian is, among these Chinese faces, the first and the only Chinese entertainment artist to formally appear in the role of "kickoff guest."

裁判靠的是过硬的专业能力，艺人靠的则是广泛的影响力，他们用各自不同的方式，把中国和世界杯，紧紧地连在了一起。

A referee relies on solid professional ability, an artist on broad influence; in their respective different ways, they tie China and the World Cup tightly together.

对于这一次难得的经历，李现本人，也显得格外珍惜与激动。

For this rare experience, Li Xian himself also clearly treasured it and was excited by it.

早在出发前往美国之前，他就公开表示，能够获得这样一个宝贵的机会，对他来说，是一件非常光荣的事情。

Well before setting off for the U.S., he publicly said that getting such a precious opportunity was, for him, a very honorable thing.

能够代表中国，站在世界杯这样一个全世界最顶级的舞台之上，他由衷地感到自豪。

Being able to represent China and stand on a top global stage like the World Cup, he felt sincerely proud.

当然，在网络上，也出现了一些轻松而有趣的讨论，比如：李现这样把球放在底座上的"放球"，到底还算不算是真正意义上的"开球"和"踢球"呢？

Of course, online there were also some light-hearted and amusing discussions, such as: does Li Xian placing the ball on a pedestal like this — this "placing the ball" — really count as a true "kickoff" or "kicking the ball"?

但其实，这件事究竟该叫什么名字，并不是其中最重要的部分。

But actually, what exactly this thing should be called isn't the most important part of it.

真正重要的是，越来越多的中国人，正在以各种各样不同的方式，一步一步地走近世界杯、走进世界足球的大舞台。

What truly matters is that more and more Chinese people are stepping closer to the World Cup and into the grand stage of world soccer, in all kinds of different ways.

在他们当中，有公正执法的专业裁判，有登台亮相的知名艺人，而在不远的将来，也许还会有真正能够征战赛场的中国国家队。

Among them are professional referees who officiate fairly, well-known artists who take the stage, and in the not-too-distant future, perhaps even a Chinese national team that can truly compete on the pitch.

比赛结束之后，李现开球的照片和视频，在中国的社交网络上被疯狂转发，一时之间，成了大家热议的话题。

After the match, photos and videos of Li Xian's kickoff were wildly shared on China's social media, becoming, for a time, a hotly discussed topic.

许多人一边由衷地为他感到高兴，一边也表达出了同一个共同的心愿：希望在未来，能够有越来越多中国人的身影，出现在世界杯这个全世界瞩目的舞台之上。

Many people, while sincerely happy for him, also expressed a shared common wish: that in the future, more and more Chinese figures will appear on the World Cup stage, which the whole world watches.

其实，这恰恰正是世界杯最为迷人的地方之一。

In fact, this is exactly one of the most charming things about the World Cup.

它从来都不只属于绿茵场上奔跑踢球的球员，也同样属于全世界每一个热爱足球的、普普通通的人。

It has never belonged only to the players running and kicking on the green pitch, but equally to every ordinary person in the world who loves soccer.

哪怕你的身份只是一名演员，也完全可以用属于你自己的独特方式，和这项全世界最为盛大的体育赛事，建立起一份特别的联系。

Even if your identity is merely that of an actor, you can absolutely, in your own unique way, build a special connection with this grandest sporting event in the world.

好了，这就是中国演员李现，与这届世界杯之间的故事。

Alright, that's the story between Chinese actor Li Xian and this World Cup.

一位中国演员，用一次简单而又特别的开球，为无数中国人，留下了一个倍感温暖、也倍感骄傲的瞬间。

A Chinese actor, with one simple yet special kickoff, left for countless Chinese people a moment that felt deeply warm and deeply proud.

谢谢你听，我们下期再见。

Thank you for listening; see you next time.