Ma Ning, aged 47, bids farewell to the World Cup: Thank you, fans, for your understanding! If Chinese football needs me, I will give it my all.

On July 13, Beijing time, Ma Ning, the 47-year-old Chinese golden whistle, officially ended his World Cup journey, sharing a farewell video on social media.

In the video, Ma Ning said with emotion: "From school grounds to the World Cup stage, from youthful confusion to steady confidence, it took me 20 years to demonstrate the value of perseverance. At 47, many people think it's too late, but I have always believed that as long as you hold onto your convictions, you can turn the impossible into reality."

"I would like to take this opportunity to especially thank my family. It is your silent support that gave me the strength to move forward, enabling me to be resolute and fearless on the path to pursuing my dreams. At the same time, I also want to thank the fans—from teasing me as the 'Card Master' to recognizing my officiating standards, your rationality and tolerance have shown me the most endearing side of Chinese football. You are not just watching the matches; you are truly understanding the value of refereeing."

"The World Cup whistle has paused for now, but my love for Chinese football will never stop. Whenever Chinese football needs me, I will give my all. I also hope that my experience can inspire more young people to take up refereeing, and I look forward to seeing more referees in the future take up the baton and go further and higher on the World Cup stage."

In this World Cup, the 47-year-old Ma Ning served as the main referee for one match and as the fourth official for three matches. Among them, he officiated as the main referee in the second round of the group stage between Curaçao and Ecuador. He also succeeded in having a Chinese referee take charge of a World Cup match for the first time in 24 years. Ma Ning is also the only Chinese referee to have been selected for two consecutive World Cup referee lists.

Although Ma Ning was once jokingly called the "Card Master" by Chinese fans, he is undoubtedly the best referee in Chinese football at present.