Shen Menglu determined to continue perfecting her skills on and off the pitch

In partnership with

Celtic F.C.

·11 October 2023

Shen Menglu determined to continue perfecting her skills on and off the pitch

After making an impressive start to the new season, Shen Menglu continues to perfect her skills on the pitch for Celtic.

Winning 10 games out of 10 on the domestic front, as well as putting in two strong performances in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, she has played a part in all 12 of the Hoops’ competitive fixtures so far this campaign.

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And with the Celts finding form in front of goal during the early stages of the season, the 21-year-old has already collected four goals and five assists in those appearances.

After joining the club last summer from Portuguese side Atletico Ouriense, the winger has settled nicely into life in Glasgow.

Alongside her work on the pitch, Lu, as she is affectionately known as by her team-mates, has also been working hard off the pitch, perfecting her English.

Speaking to Celtic TV in her first one-on-one English speaking interview, the Chinese youth internationalist opened up on how much she is enjoying life in Scotland.

It is evident first-hand to see how much work Menglu has been putting in on and off the pitch, whether that be her skills on the ball in green and white or the new language she continues to learn, and she has been left delighted with the progress made at Paradise.

“I’m a little nervous (to be doing my first interview in English), but I will try and do my best,” she explained.

“This is my second season with Celtic. I really enjoy everything about being here and especially living in Glasgow.

‘Here in Scotland, people are so welcoming.’

“I am happy with the progress that I have made with the club. I believe that there is always room for improvement.

“Everyone can see my performance and progress. But I want to become the best version of myself this season.”

Joining a new club at such a young age can be a daunting task for any player, but you can imagine it would be particularly hard to move to a whole new country.

However, Menglu managed to hit the ground running in Glasgow during her first season as a Celtic player.

Following a number of impressive performances from the entire Celtic squad, the wide player helped Fran Alonso’s side achieve more success last campaign, as the Ghirls lifted the Scottish Cup during a historic Hampden Park victory over Rangers.

After lifting her first piece of silverware as a Celtic player, Lu expressed just how proud a moment that was for her as she paid tribute to the Hoops coaching staff and her team-mates.

“Last season’s Scottish Cup was my first trophy as part of the club. I was overjoyed and it was a big achievement for me.

“We worked very hard and it was amazing. I just want to say thank you for everyone who supported me.

‘I am grateful to Fran (Alonso) and the entire coaching staff, as well as my team-mates.’

“They give me a lot of help and confidence because they trust me.”

The Celtic squad and the supporters have created a special bond in recent years, and it is clear for the fans to see just how close the entire squad is.

Since arriving in Glasgow last summer, Menglu has quickly become known as one of the jokers of the pack in the Hoops dressing room.

After making such a fantastic start to the new season, the winger insists that is down to the togetherness within the group and all the hard work that goes in on the training ground.

“I would put our good start down to our teamwork. We all work hard and we are together. We always put a lot of effort in to our training.”

“As a squad, we are all super close. We support each other when the going gets tough.

‘I have gained a lot of confidence and I am really looking forward to what’s to come.’

“I believe that there is always room for improvement. I am trying to improve my current abilities. “

During her 14 months or so with the Celts, we have seen Menglu play her part in a whole host of goals, showcasing her exciting attacking ability.

However, during the recent victory over Hearts, the 21-year-old scored what some may describe as a collector’s item, after turning the ball home into the back of the net using her head.

Whilst the Ghirls have shown just how dangerous they can be from set plays, with the likes of Chloe Craig and Caitlin Hayes continuing to contribute in front of goal, admittedly, that isn’t a side to Lu’s game that we see very often.

Despite going through the pain barrier when nodding the ball home to seal an important three points last month, the wide player is determined to contribute in any way she can.

“It was a little bit sore when I scored with my head,” she joked. “But I will try to score as many goals as I can no matter the cost!”