Imagine having a collection of over 300 different Borussia Dortmund jerseys? Noah Sun does. Born in China’s eastern province of Zhejiang in 1991, he studied mechanical engineering in Berlin between 2014 and 2019. After completing his degree, Noah returned to China, where he currently works as a photographer and collects jerseys from his favorite football team – Borussia Dortmund.

Living in China, how did you become a Borussia Dortmund fan?
When I was still a kid, my father gave me a Borussia Dortmund shirt as a gift. That was the very first football jersey I ever owned. Whenever I played football with my friends, I would wear my black and yellow shirt and imagine I was a real star footballer with Borussia Dortmund. That piqued my interest in the German Bundesliga and Borussia Dortmund games. The colors, the logo – it all sparked my passion for the team. 

You’ve visited the team’s home ground, SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, several times. How did you manage that, considering Dortmund isn’t just around the corner from China?
That’s true. But when I got the chance to study abroad, I didn’t hesitate and chose Germany. I finally got to attend the games and meet the local fans. I can’t count the times I’ve stood on the stadium’s famous Südtribüne (south bank) terrace and even watched a derby win. For five years now, I’ve been a Borussia fan reporter in my free time. Whenever I learn anything new about the team, I translate it into Chinese and post it on local social media channels so that Borussia Dortmund’s many keen followers in China are kept up to date. 

When and how did the idea of collecting jerseys arise?
Initially, I just wanted to buy a couple of old shirts that I really loved. But as so often happens in life, things got out of hand! It occurred to me that actually I like all the Borussia Dortmund jerseys. So I started buying whatever I could find. Meanwhile I’ve collected over 300 different shirts dating from 1970 to the present.

What was your most emotional Borussia Dortmund moment?
Borussia Dortmund’s first ever visit to my homeland China in 2016 was a truly unforgettable experience. As a fan reporter, I was invited to accompany them throughout the trip. During their tour, I also organized an exhibition of my own jersey collection. 

Are you a member of a Borussia Dortmund fan club?
Of course! Here in China, there are fan clubs in virtually every province. I’m a member in my home town of Shanghai. Our fan club sports the great name China Honey Jar.
Interview: Uwe Schedlbauer

In this section, our main sponsor Evonik, who supports us at all of our international games, lets soccer fans who feel close to Borussia Dortmund but live nowhere near SIGNAL IDUNA PARK have their say.

EVONIK IN CHINA
China has made no secret of the fact that it aims to become one of the world’s leading football nations. On the economic front, the country has long been competing in the Champions League not only in terms of production, but also research, development and consumption. Evonik’s predecessor companies were quick to make the most of this trajectory, opening their first offices in the Middle Kingdom in the 1930s. Step by step, Borussia Dortmund’s main sponsor has expanded its presence in the country. Today, Evonik focuses on production and research in the financial hub of Shanghai, where more than 200 different products are manufactured. The industrial group employs about 2,500 people at a total of 14 locations across the country. China has made use of Evonik products, for instance, in its rapid expansion into wind energy as well as to help provide the large population with healthy, sustainable food.