RCD Espanyol striker Wu Lei during a training session in Barcelona, Spain Photo: Yang Ruoyu/GT

Chinese soccer fans expressed their good wishes to Espanyol's Chinese striker Wu Lei, one of the most famous names in Chinese soccer, after he tested positive for COVID-19 infection.

The Chinese Football Association confirmed on its website Saturday that Wu has tested positive for the coronavirus, adding that he has mild symptoms and currently undergoing treatment.

"The Chinese Football Association has been in close contact with Wu and the Spanish club, and will provide all necessary help if possible," the statement says. 

Chinese internet users flooded the comment section of the news on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblogging platform, with warm wishes for the soccer star's speedy recovery.

"I feel too bad. Wu is China's only star who has broken Barcelona's goal in the Spanish La Liga. He is also the most expensive player among all active Chinese soccer stars," one netizen wrote.

"He is the hope of China's soccer. He brought light to this gloomy industry," commented another user.

Many Chinese soccer fans started seeing Wu as a hero after he scored a late equalizing goal as the side bottom of the Liga Santander drew 2-2 with league leaders and local rivals FC Barcelona in a match in January.

Wu exhibited typical symptoms of the coronavirus, including fever, dry cough and shortness of breath, before being tested for COVID-19, Tomas Guasch, the COPE journalist who first broke the news, was quoted as saying by CGTN on Saturday.

Guasch also quoted Espanyol's club doctor as saying Wu and five other infected individuals were mild cases of the disease, which do not require hospitalization. It is understood all of them are self-isolating at home under mandatory 14-day quarantine, CGTN reported.

Global Times