He learned during his six years in the United States to “enjoy life every day”, but Marco Wong Hin-sum had his joie de vivre tested during this season where he questioned whether he had a future in football.
Starring in Tai Po’s FA Cup final win over Eastern District on Saturday, Wong didn’t think lightly 8½ months into his first season back in Hong Kong after completing his university studies in New York.
Born in Tai Po and a “huge fan” of the district club, Wong reached his nadir in February when, for the third time, he was included as an over-age player in the under-22 squad but failed to make the bench.
“I was very upset and thought, ‘what is my future in football?’,” Wong, 23, said.
“I had a negative attitude and, at times, I wanted to give up but I stayed with it. I knew things would change. Sometimes, you need to wait – hard work pays off.”
Wong spent two years at Northwood School in Lake Placid, where he earned high grades and played semi-professionally for Black Rock FC. He received a degree in mathematics from the University of St. Lawrence in Canton, about 630 kilometers (390 miles) north of New York City.
