China’s ambitious plans to become a football powerhouse have come crashing down in a spectacular fashion. President Xi Jinping had set out to make China a force to be reckoned with in the world of football, with dreams of hosting the World Cup, winning the tournament, and becoming a World Cup Champion. However, a combination of harsh Covid restrictions, a struggling economy, and hasty planning led to the downfall of China’s football boom.
China’s football dream began with President Xi’s vision to use the sport as a tool to propel the country to the top table of the economic world. He wanted China to play in a World Cup, host the tournament, rank within FIFA’s top 20 teams, and eventually become a World Cup Champion. To achieve this, Beijing planned to build 50,000 specialist football schools and get 50 million schoolchildren on the pitch to create the next generation of footballers.
The Chinese Super League (CSL) was at the forefront of Xi’s bold aspirations. In the winter transfer window of 2016-17, the CSL became the biggest spender in the football world, splurging £320 million on astronomical wages to attract some of the world’s top players. This included signing Chelsea midfielder Oscar for £60 million.
At the time, China was seen as the next big thing in football, and players and agents were drawn to the guaranteed money on offer. One transfer that caught everyone’s attention was Carlos Tevez’s move to Shanghai Shenhua in 2016. Tevez was offered a contract worth £650,000 a week, earning him a pound a second.
However, the optimism of 2016 quickly faded away. China’s football system crumbled as poor planning and lack of visibility drained money out of the country instead of cashing it in. The men’s national team failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, dropping down to 78th in the FIFA rankings. The women’s squad also failed to break into the top ten.
The CSL clubs faced financial difficulties, with Guangzhou Evergrande, the most successful team in the league’s history, racking up £240 billion in debt. Stories emerged of players going unpaid, and some foreign footballers had their contracts terminated without receiving their payments. The lack of infrastructure and proper financial organization, coupled with the financial crisis and the pandemic, led to the collapse of football in China.
China’s rapid rise in the football realm was described as hasty, with poor planning and a lack of visibility. The country went into a stadium construction frenzy, but the shiny new stadiums and big sponsors did not equate to visibility and popularity. Football matches were played at largely empty stadiums, and even the multi-million-pound stars could not attract enough supporters to justify the money spent.
The cautionary tale of China’s football boom and bust could serve as a lesson for Saudi Arabia, which is currently making waves in the football world with its big-money signings of players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Uefa chiefs have urged Saudi Arabia not to make similar mistakes to those made by China. However, some believe that Saudi Arabia may fare better due to its strategic approach and financial power.
While it remains to be seen whether President Xi’s grand plans to become a football superpower will come to fruition by 2050, it is clear that China’s football boom ended in failure. The country is now left with abandoned stadiums and memories of what once was the home to the world’s best-paid players. The rise and fall of China’s football dream serve as a cautionary tale for other countries aspiring to become football powerhouses. Proper management, planning, and infrastructure are crucial for success in the world of football.