China’s Football Nightmare

On a hot, humid Thursday night in Saitama, China’s national football team faced its lowest point. Trailing Japan 6-0 with a minute left on the clock, the Chinese defenders likely wished for the final whistle. But Japan’s Takefusa Kubo had other plans, scoring the seventh goal and condemning China to their worst-ever defeat in a World Cup qualifier.

The 7-0 spanking in September, described as “rock-bottom” by a Shanghai-based newspaper, followed a year of humiliating defeats, including losses to Oman, Uzbekistan, and Hong Kong. But worse was to come. A week later, dozens of players, coaches, and administrators were arrested for gambling, match-fixing, and bribery as part of a two-year probe into corruption in the domestic game.

Xi Jinping’s Unfulfilled Dream

When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, his love for football spurred a drive to reform and improve Chinese football. His dream, he once said, was for China to qualify for the World Cup, host it, and ultimately win it. These were his “three wishes.”

However, a decade later, even Xi seemed to have lost faith. While making small talk with Thailand’s prime minister on the sidelines of an international summit in 2023, the Chinese president was heard saying that China had “got lucky” in a recent victory against Thailand.

The Root of the Problem

“When China’s government puts its mind to something, it very rarely fails,” says Mark Dreyer, a Beijing-based sports writer. “Look at electric vehicles, look at the Olympics. Practically any sector you can think of, China is right up there.”

But football, it seems, could not thrive in the grip of the Communist Party. A key government report in 2015 noted that The Chinese Football Association (CFA) must have “legal autonomy,” and should be “independent” of the General Administration of Sport (GAS). Even Xi admitted that if China wanted to succeed, then the Party would have to do what it seldom does: let go.

And yet, Beijing didn’t let go. “China’s failure in football has become a national embarrassment and figuring out the reasons has become a national obsession,” Rowan Simons, author of Bamboo Goalposts: One Man’s Quest to Teach the People’s Republic of China to Love Football, told the BBC.

Corruption and Its Consequences

In a 2024 documentary, former national team manager Li Tie made a shocking admission: for years he fixed matches and paid bribes to get certain jobs, including 3 million yuan (£331,000, $418,500) to become the national team coach in 2019. Dressed in all-black, he marks a written confession with an inky fingerprint: “I’m very sorry.”

China’s national team was made to watch the documentary by state broadcaster CCTV while preparing for last year’s Asian Cup in Qatar. The primetime expose, co-produced by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), was the first episode of a four-part series on corruption in China called Continued Efforts, Deepening Progress.

By airing the football episode first, the authorities signalled their serious concern about graft within the sport. Li, who appeared in a World Cup and once played for Premier League side Everton, is the most high-profile figure to have been apprehended last year in an unprecedented slew of anti-corruption arrests in Chinese football. In December, he was sentenced to 20 years in jail.

The Economic Downturn

Since the pandemic and the subsequent economic slowdown in China, more than 40 professional clubs have folded as state-backed companies started to pull their investments. Private companies, too, have proved fickle in their commitment.

In 2015, the Suning Appliance Group, which also used to own the top Italian club Inter Milan, bought Jiangsu FC. The club went on to win the Super League in 2020. But months later, Suning said they were closing the club to focus on their retail business.

The demise of Guangzhou Evergrande, China’s most successful team ever, is yet another example. Bankrolled by property giant Evergrande Group, they won trophy after trophy under the management of Italian greats such as Marcello Lippi and Fabio Cannavaro. But as they found glory at home and in Asia, their parent company was overstretching itself in an inflated property market.

The Grassroots Issue

“If you look at every country where football is really successful, the sport has grown organically as a grassroots activity over the past 100 years,” Mr. Simons says. “Professional football in China has continually failed because it’s supported by nothing – their pyramid is upside down.”

The statistics bear this out: England’s 1.3 million registered players dwarf China’s fewer-than-100,000 footballers. This is despite China’s population being 20 times larger than England’s.

“Kids here don’t grow up with a ball at their feet. Without that, you’re not going to produce elite talent,” Mr. Dreyer says. Top-level football in Europe and South America traces its origins to streets and parks in every town and village. In China, however, the push began in Beijing.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that the government set up the country’s first professional league. It created a handful of top clubs in major cities – but neglected the grassroots.

The Women’s Team: A Beacon of Hope

This does not mean that there is not a deep love for football in China. While the men’s team, currently ranked 90th in the world, is seen as a constant disappointment, the women’s team, ranked 17th, has been a source of pride for years.

Many in China have referred to them as the “real” guozu or national team – and in 2023, a record 53 million people tuned in to watch them play – and lose 6-1 – to England at the World Cup.

The men’s Super League boasts the highest average attendance of any league in Asia. At its peak in the 2010s, it was attracting big-name foreign players as it rode a wave of investment from state-owned enterprises, buoyed by a thriving economy.

Did You Know?

China’s national team has never qualified for the World Cup, despite being the world’s most populous country. The team’s struggles highlight the challenges of developing a competitive football culture in a country where the sport has historically been overshadowed by other priorities.

FAQ Section

Why is China’s football team struggling?

China’s football team is struggling due to a lack of grassroots development, political interference, and a history of corruption within the sport. The team’s failures have led to widespread disappointment and calls for reform.

What is Xi Jinping’s role in Chinese football?

Xi Jinping, the President of China, is an avid football fan and has been a key figure in promoting the sport within the country. However, his efforts to reform and improve Chinese football have yielded limited results, leading to questions about the effectiveness of his approach.

What is the current state of Chinese football?

The current state of Chinese football is marked by a series of devastating defeats, corruption scandals, and economic challenges. The sport faces significant hurdles, including a lack of grassroots development and political interference, which have hindered its growth and competitiveness.

Pro Tips for Aspiring Footballers in China

For young footballers in China, the path to success is fraught with challenges. Here are some pro tips to help navigate the landscape:

• Focus on developing fundamental skills from a young age.
• Seek out grassroots programs and local clubs to gain experience.
• Stay informed about the latest developments in Chinese football.
• Embrace a long-term vision and avoid shortcuts.

Conclusion

China’s football journey is a tale of unfulfilled dreams and missed opportunities. Despite the country’s vast resources and political will, the sport continues to struggle. The recent corruption scandals and economic downturn have only exacerbated the challenges. However, the passion for football remains, and with the right reforms, China could still rise to become a footballing powerhouse.

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