Opinion | The dilemma and struggles of Chinese football

By Darius

I can no longer remember how many times the phrase "humiliating defeat" has been used in reference to Chinese football. The first time was in 2013 when China lost 1-5 to Thailand, and the tsunami of curses from fans drowned out then-coach José Antonio Camacho, forcing him to leave in disgrace. Back then, who would have imagined that now, faced with a 0-7 loss to Japan, fans would find it hard to identify another scapegoat to vent their frustrations on?

Once I was also a loyal supporter of football: I collected cards of those football stars, chose football as my sport in PE class, and ran on the green field with friends. However, due to some leg injuries, I had to turn to other sports. Now, I find myself somewhat relieved; it's because of this that I can remain calm after witnessing such a horrible result, rather than erupting in anger.

Or perhaps I had already anticipated the possibility of such a defeat?

As the world's number one sport, football's influence and level of development are unmatched by other sports. Unfortunately, whether in terms of actual influence or development, I can barely see it in China. Perhaps we can observe many fans at the Chinese Super League matches, but if we shift our focus to the next tier of leagues, the drop in audience numbers is stark and far from the "boisterous crowds" seen in football powerhouses. Take Beijing as an example: with such a large population, only Beijing Guoan can truly be called a "renowned" club. I, as a Beijinger, do have heard of other clubs, at least knowing of teams like Beijing Baxy and Beijing Sport University, but due to insufficient fans, sponsorship, and funding, these teams ultimately faded into the annals of history. If Beijing's situation is like this, provinces that are relatively remote and lack top-tier events should be even worse. The development of small clubs is hindered, ultimately leading to a decline in football's influence.

At the same time, many practitioners in the football industry view the sport merely as a tool for profit, without considering long-term development. The foundation for long-term development lies in youth training, and in this regard, China can be said to be just getting started. Some clubs cannot even organize a complete youth team, let alone entertain lofty ideas like "echelon building." Due to the current lack of a well-rounded youth training system, which is time-consuming and not profitable, many clubs prefer to invest their funds in coaches, foreign players, and active adult players, further hindering the establishment of youth training, and creating a vicious cycle. In this industry, there are even those who manipulate matches for profit, lining their own pockets while treating the spirit of sports as a piece of garbage. Once champions of the AFC Champions League, Guangzhou Evergrande has now fallen into silence due to the decline of Evergrande Group and the arrest of its boss Xu Jiayin.

If the roots of a tree are not solid, how can it grow tall?

Perhaps someone might ask: why can teams from South American countries deliver remarkable performances despite being developing countries with incomplete commercialization? Why do these countries still produce a large number of talented players? This brings us to another point: compared to football and other sports, children in China have better and more stable career paths—academics.

When talking about stereotypes about Asians, people will say, "Well, they love studying and do good in academics." Sometimes, however, stereotypes have their origins. A well-known Chinese sports program host once asked, "Parents, please ask yourselves, would you let your children choose football as his or her career?" Indeed, in China, as long as a child has sufficient academic ability, both parents and teachers will prioritize recommending them for academic exams and obtaining college diplomas to secure a "stable, long-term" job in the future. In contrast, the cost of nurturing qualified football players is too high, and the risks are too great; failing almost means all efforts for this career are wasted. Most Chinese parents do not own the cost of trial and error; they do not want a fleeting whim to ruin their child's life, so they cannot support their children in sports-related careers and instead encourage them to "good good study, day day up."

Under the premise of an incomplete system, short-sighted practitioners, and a weak grassroots foundation, it is indeed too much to expect current football players to perform at a high level. Even more alarming is that the once-glorious women's football scene seems to be facing similar issues: the lack of continuity in players' generations, consecutive losses in major competitions, and the reversal of public opinion leave me hesitant to think further.

Sometimes, when I look back on these matters, I am surprised by my indifference; the young person who once ran for four hours at Beijing's Dongdan Sports Center to play football has now become a spectator tapping out cold words. However, I am now more aware than ever: perhaps we have all become accustomed to failure. What is truly frightening is not the failure itself, but the complete absence of any possibility of success.

What this industry currently needs, in my mind, is not a large influx of capital to activate the market; during the "money football" era in China, clubs had considerable financial reserves, but the outcomes were still unsatisfactory. Either, it is not about having a "savior" who can turn this ship around with just a few commands; what is truly needed is a group of people who love sports, possess professional qualifications, and are willing to strive for it. Such individuals are indispensable in every football powerhouse, whether on the field, in the commentary booth, or the club's office.

Therefore, during the "dark times" of Chinese football, I still admire those fans who support it, because unlike me, they care about the sport and must invest significant courage to care. The path belonging to competitive sports requires us to move forward step by step with determination; no matter how much we brag, the results will not deceive others.

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