From an unheralded football player to a businessman across multiple sectors, Wang Dong's journey over the past 10 years has been more dramatic than most.

Wang began playing football at age 4 and went to a school known for its football tradition when he was 7. It was during his junior high school years that he discovered his deep interest in the sport. He then attended a football school in Beijing, where he resolved to become a professional player.

For Wang, the beginning seemed promising. Possessing both talent and ability, he was selected for the junior team of Beijing Guoan and, at the age of 17, was promoted to its first team.

However, things began to go awry as a young and less adaptable Wang struggled to handle the pressure. Additionally, the presence of established figures within the club, including Xu Yunlong and Shao Jiayi, made it challenging for him to stand out.

During his 12 years with Guoan, where the team won the 2009 Chinese Super League (CSL), Wang received limited playing time, which ultimately led to his decision to leave.

In 2010, he joined Shenzhen FC, where he became a key player and later the captain. However, due to the team's relegation, unpaid wages, and his subsequent methods of demanding pay ment, he found it difficult to return to the club and the field, ultimately leading to his retirement.

"At 30, a prime age for a footballer, retirement was tough for me," Wang admitted. "But it was the long wait that made me realize that my football career did not give me a greater sense of fulfillment."

With limited education and a lack of social experience, he initially felt lost.

However, his athletic background provided him with knowledge about diet and nutrition, which inspired his decision to enter the catering industry. He introduced Chaoshan beef hotpot, a dish popular in south China's Guangdong Province, to his hometown, the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.

He traveled to Shantou City, the birthplace of Chaoshan beef hotpot, where he spent four months working as a kitchen helper in a restaurant to learn how to prepare the cuisine.

This period was the most challenging. He had to work 15 hours a day and lived in a cramped dormitory shared by eight people. Without air conditioning, the dormitory was stifling and humid during the summer.

Despite feeling hesitant to admit his former identity when diners asked if he was the football player Wang Dong, he considered the experience valuable as it allowed him to master the art of making the delicacy and earn a living before opening his own restaurant in Tianjin.

The initial days of his restaurant were difficult. He had to wake up at 4 or 5 a.m. to purchase fresh beef and would close the restaurant late at night after the last diners left, resulting in a 10-kilogram weight loss within a month.

After navigating this challenging period, Wang's business began to grow rapidly. He not only opened multiple branches of his restaurant in Tianjin but also expanded to other provinces and cities across China.

"I was among the first to introduce Chaoshan beef hotpot to Tianjin and gained the early market advantages," Wang noted.

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of Wang's retirement from professional football, his business interests have broadened beyond catering to include sports, health care, cinemas, tourism, animal husbandry, and real estate.

Among these diverse ventures, he has a particular interest in the sports industry, encompassing training, venue operation, equipment, and rehabilitation. He has also sponsored CSL club Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.

"As I was an athlete, sport is part of my DNA," he said.