China's Football Aspirations Crumble Amid Embarrassing Defeats**

Fri Oct 24 2025 07:46:12 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Once a dream of greatness, China's hopes in football now face harsh realities as corruption, poor governance, and consistent losses plague the national team.**

From a crushing 7-0 loss to Japan to a systemic corruption scandal, China's national football team's struggles highlight the pitfalls of political interference and lack of grassroots support, overshadowing its ambitions to become a football superpower.**

China's efforts to become a footballing powerhouse have taken a severe hit as their national team faced humiliating defeats, culminating in a staggering 7-0 loss against Japan in a World Cup qualifier. With this defeat marking the lowest point in their history, the team is now positioned 90th in FIFA rankings, trailing countries like Curaçao and Luxembourg.

This recent calamity followed a year of crushing defeats to teams like Oman and Hong Kong, and was closely followed by a significant corruption scandal, seeing numerous players and officials arrested for match-fixing and bribery. The string of losses continued with a 2-0 defeat against Australia, further solidifying their position at the bottom of their qualifying group.

Xi Jinping, China’s president and enthusiastic football fan, once envisioned his country qualifying for and hosting the World Cup. However, a decade later, that dream seems distant as even he remarked that China had simply "got lucky" during a recent win against Thailand. Critics underline that China’s systemic political interference hampers the development of football, leading to poorly sourced decisions from the top, rather than allowing for a grassroots-driven approach typical in successful football nations.

Despite these setbacks on the men’s side, the women's team remains a beacon of hope, currently ranked 17th globally and capturing the attention of millions during the World Cup. Nonetheless, the men's Super League struggles as economic downturns led to more than 40 clubs folding in the post-pandemic era.

Another blow came when corruption excised its way through the sport, with former national team coach Li Tie sentenced to 20 years in prison for bribery. A documentary exposing these issues showcased the rampant graft, resonating with disappointed fans who long for a revitalized football culture.

Overall, while China excels in individual sports, football lags behind, burdened by mismanagement and a detachment from communal participation. As supporters grapple with their team’s consistent underperformance, the path to football restoration appears fraught with obstacles while Japan continues to thrive, showcasing the divergence in their football journeys.