Sonam Jigme (1st R) takes videos for players in Zangbi Township of Lhari County, Nagqu, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, July 18, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhou Yulong)

　　Among these players was 9-year-old Drolkar Lhamo, who started playing at the age of 7 alongside two of her elder brothers. She plays as a defender and admires Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar for their flair.

　　"I dream of becoming a professional, playing in the regional capital Lhasa and other places," said the Tibetan girl, a Cabbage Cup winner.

　　Her school, some 20 km away, has a small pitch. But it is this simple patch by the cattle pen that gives her and the other children a place to play on weekends.

　　In July 2025, Sonam Jigme began preparing the patch for the children little by little: clearing stones, setting up wooden posts and marking boundaries.

　　For children from pastoral areas, the pitch moves with them. They play on the summer pasture in summer and the winter pasture for the rest of the year, so most training and matches happen there.

　　Sonam Jigme tries to make every match feel like a proper game.

　　Before kickoff, Sonam Jigme walks the children through a match routine, requiring them to line up by team, shake hands, take their positions and start. He films their pre-match introductions on his phone, asking each player to say their name and team.

　　Every weekend, Sonam Jigme runs training sessions for more than 20 children. He shows them videos of world-class matches and tells them much about famous players, ranging from their names and hometowns to their stories. That is how the children on the pasture learned about stars like Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.