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The most populous country in the world is ranked 90th in the men’s Fifa world rankings – just ahead of Curaçao and Luxembourg
On a hot, humid Thursday night in Saitama, China’s national football team hit rock bottom.
With a minute left on the clock and trailing Japan 6-0, Chinese defenders were likely hoping for the final whistle.
But Japan’s Takefusa Kubo had other plans. He received a pass on the edge of the Chinese box and scored Japan’s seventh goal.
The ball flew into the net, and “Japanese Messi” dealt China their worst-ever defeat in a World Cup qualifier.
The 7-0 loss in September was followed by a string of humiliating defeats, including losses to Oman, Uzbekistan, and Hong Kong.
A week later, numerous players, coaches, and administrators were arrested for gambling, match-fixing, and bribery as part of a corruption investigation.
The defeats continued, with Australia beating China 2-0 in Hangzhou, solidifying their place at the bottom of their World Cup qualifying group.
China, once hopeful of becoming a footballing powerhouse, faced a series of setbacks.
When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he aimed to reform Chinese football and lead the country to World Cup success. However, a decade later, even Xi seemed disillusioned.
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Xi Jinping’s dream of making China a footballing superpower is facing challenges
Experts point to China’s top-down approach to football, with political appointments and lack of grassroots development hindering progress.
While other successful footballing nations have a strong grassroots foundation, China’s focus on professional leagues has not yielded desired results.
The lack of widespread participation in football among Chinese youth has hindered the country’s ability to produce top-tier players.
In contrast to countries like England, where football is deeply ingrained in the culture, China’s football development has been more top-heavy.
China’s struggles in football highlight the need for a shift towards grassroots development to nurture talent from the ground up.
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China’s footballing ambitions face challenges due to a top-heavy approach
The future of Chinese football hinges on embracing grassroots development and fostering a culture of widespread participation in the sport.
Getty Images established a few elite clubs in major cities, but neglected grassroots development. In this top-down system, officials prioritize short-term results to impress their superiors, sacrificing long-term progress. Foreign players in China note the lack of freedom for young players to develop their natural game sense. While Chinese players are technically skilled, they often lack football IQ in crucial moments. Despite a deep love for football in China, the men’s national team disappoints, while the women’s team brings pride. The men’s Super League once attracted big-name foreign players but has suffered since the economic slowdown. Several professional clubs have folded, including Jiangsu FC and Guangzhou Evergrande, due to financial instability. Corruption has also plagued Chinese football, with high-profile figures like former national team coach Li Tie being jailed for bribery. The documentary on corruption in Chinese football revealed widespread graft, leading to public outrage and calls for reform. Other sports in China are thriving, highlighting the stark contrast with the struggles of men’s football. Investasi dalam infrastruktur dan pelatihan selama bertahun-tahun telah membawa China dari tempat yang kurang diperhatikan dalam dunia olahraga menjadi mesin pemenang medali yang baru-baru ini menyamai Amerika Serikat dengan 40 emas di Olimpiade Paris. Tapi banyak dari ini adalah olahraga individu – angkat besi, renang, menyelam – yang membutuhkan lebih sedikit sumber daya dan, yang lebih penting, kurang vokal dalam upaya masyarakat, dibandingkan dengan permainan seperti sepak bola. Mereka juga kurang menguntungkan dan, karena itu, lebih sedikit rentan terhadap korupsi dan kelalaian. Kekalahan 7-0 dari Jepang adalah yang terbaru dalam deretan hasil memalukan bagi China. Saat ekonomi China terpukul dari penurunan yang berkelanjutan, pejabatnya memiliki tantangan yang lebih besar daripada masalah sepak bola. Tapi itu sedikit menghibur para penggemar. Kekalahan dari Jepang sangat menusuk. Sementara Jepang terus berkembang dalam dua dekade terakhir, China gagal lolos ke Piala Dunia satu pun. Hari setelah kekalahan, Oriental Sports Daily tidak menahan kata-katanya: “Ketika rasa pahit mencapai titik ekstremnya, yang tersisa hanyalah kebas.” Menurut Bapak Dreyer, pendekatan Jepang bertentangan dengan China: visi jangka panjang, kurangnya intervensi politik, dan struktur klub yang cerdas secara komersial. “Meskipun begitu, budaya penggemar di sini [di China] masih sangat baik,” tambahnya. “Mereka pantas mendapatkan lebih banyak.” Kekecewaan mereka terlihat setelah kekalahan melawan Australia pada hari Selasa – tetapi juga terlihat humor mereka. “Sepertinya performa tim nasional tetap konsisten,” tulis seorang penggemar di media sosial. Yang lain bercanda bahwa jika China ingin terus berkembang secara ekonomi, maka tim sepak bolanya harus menderita sehingga ada keseimbangan dalam “nasib nasional”. Barangkali mereka telah meresahkan diri pada apa yang ditulis seorang jurnalis Tiongkok populer di blognya setelah Jepang mengalahkan China. Sepak bola “tidak dapat ditingkatkan dengan menyanyikan oda atau bercerita,” catatnya. “Itu membutuhkan keterampilan, dan pelatihan fisik serta taktis. Itu tidak bisa dicapai melalui politik.”