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From the glorious beginnings of the 1990s with the emergence of professional football, to President Xi Jinping's cherished dream of China one day becoming a football powerhouse, all has now crumbled in disappointment. A journey from the heights of hope to the depths of despair and the underlying reasons behind this complete failure.
The fateful defeat
On September 5, 2024, in Saitama, the Chinese national team suffered their most painful defeat in the history of their participation in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The match between China and Japan ended with a score of 7-0, a result that brought shame to all Chinese fans.
With only one minute left in the match, and China trailing 6-0, their defenders were undoubtedly hoping for the final whistle, but Takefusa Kubo, dubbed the "Japanese Messi," didn't think so. He received the ball outside the penalty area and unleashed a powerful shot that found the back of the net, making it 7-0 – a devastating blow to the hearts of Chinese football fans. This was the heaviest defeat China has ever suffered in World Cup qualifying history, an unforgettable stain on their record.
But this defeat wasn't the only thing that plunged Chinese football into a stalemate. Prior to this, China had suffered a series of humiliating defeats over the course of a year, from losses to Oman and Uzbekistan to Hong Kong. Shortly after this defeat, a major investigation into corruption and match-fixing in Chinese football led to numerous players, coaches, and officials facing serious charges.
When President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, Chinese football had a promising start. Xi Jinping, a passionate football fan, set three major goals: China to qualify for the World Cup, to host the tournament, and ultimately to win the World Cup. These were the "three wishes" he hoped would come true in the near future.
With a strong economy and the world's largest population, many believed China could become a football powerhouse. But more than a decade later, that dream seems increasingly distant.
In 2023, fans circulated the story of China's "lucky" victory over Thailand in a recent match. This statement served as an acknowledgment that China's football dream no longer shone as brightly as it once did.
The Chinese football system - an inverted pyramid.
So what are the reasons behind the disastrous failure of Chinese football? The answer may lie in the very way football is run in the country.
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The Chinese national football team has had very few moments of joy. |
China has no shortage of money or resources to develop football, but it lacks a sustainable football system. While the world's leading football nations develop football from the ground up, from grassroots, semi-professional, and amateur clubs, Chinese football has built a completely different model – an inverted pyramid.
China has built large clubs in cities but has neglected the development of community football. The number of football players in China is not even comparable to other countries. While England has 1.3 million registered players, China has fewer than 100,000.
The Chinese football system, therefore, cannot develop strongly because it lacks a solid foundation. Players are not trained from a young age and lack the natural playing environment found in other countries. This leads to Chinese players being unable to develop essential football skills such as "football awareness" and creativity in crucial situations.
While Chinese men's football has been a failure, women's football remains a source of national pride. The Chinese women's national team is consistently regarded by fans as the true national team. They regularly qualify for major tournaments and enjoy immense popularity. Even their 1-6 defeat to England at the 2023 World Cup attracted 53 million viewers. However, the situation is quite different when considering men's football.
In the early years of the 21st century, the Chinese Super League attracted the attention of the international football community thanks to its large fan base and famous foreign stars. However, the league's rise was only temporary. Following the Covid-19 pandemic and a prolonged economic downturn, more than 40 professional football clubs have been forced to close. State-owned corporations cut back on investment, and private businesses are no longer keen on investing in football.
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Chinese football is still struggling to find its way forward. |
Guangzhou Evergrande, once an icon of Chinese football, also failed to maintain its success. Despite being sponsored by the Evergrande Group, the team faced significant financial difficulties when its parent company went bankrupt, becoming one of the symbols of China's real estate crisis.
Other issues
Besides systemic factors and investment, another crucial element contributing to the failure of Chinese football is corruption. Chinese football is not lacking in stories of corruption. Former men's national team head coach Li Tie admitted in a documentary that he fixed matches and paid bribes to become coach. This documentary shocked the public, bringing to light numerous football officials for serious acts of corruption.
This partly explains why Chinese football has failed to develop despite having all the resources to do so. Corruption not only ruins football, but also severely erodes fans' trust in the system.
The Chinese football dream was once nurtured by a robust system, but it was ultimately destroyed by corruption, indiscipline, and a dysfunctional system. While China may become a powerhouse in many areas, football remains a dream that has never been realized.
With their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, hopes for a golden generation of Chinese football seem increasingly distant. In contrast to Japan's prosperity, the Chinese national team still faces numerous challenges. Chinese fans may have to continue waiting, but will their football dream ever come true? Only time will tell.
Source: https://znews.vn/giac-mo-bong-da-trung-quoc-tan-vo-post1541194.html
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