The Chinese national soccer team (recognized as China PR by FIFA) slipped to 81st in the world with the rankings update by FIFA in April 2023, although the sport received big money and strong support from the communist regime.
Their best-ever ranking was 37th in 1998, while their worst came in 2013, dropping to 109th.
Like table tennis, soccer is also an important part of China’s sports diplomacy, which is used by current Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a soft power to promote his agenda. He expressed his fondness for the sport in various diplomatic scenarios.
In July 2011, as China’s vice chairman, Xi met Sohn Hak-kyu, then South Korea’s Democratic Party leader, reportedly claiming that he had three wishes for China’s national team, “To qualify for a World Cup, to host a World Cup, and to win a World Cup.”…