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China's ambition to become a global football powerhouse has crumbled spectacularly, and nowhere was that more evident than on a humiliating night in Saitama. The national team suffered its worst-ever World Cup qualifying defeat, a crushing 7-0 loss to Japan that left players visibly dejected.
As the final whistle blew, the embarrassment was far from over. Days later, a wave of arrests shook Chinese football, with players, coaches, and officials detained in a massive corruption scandal involving bribery, match-fixing, and gambling.
The irony? China had once envisioned a golden football future. With the world's largest population, financial backing, and the full support of President Xi Jinping—an avid football fan—the plan seemed foolproof. Xi had laid out a three-step dream: qualify for the World Cup, host it, and eventually win. But over a decade into this vision, the reality is starkly different.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) was meant to operate independently from government control, yet the Party never truly let go. The result? A toxic blend of political interference, mismanagement, and corruption that stifled talent and progress.
Tuesday's 2-0 loss to Australia cemented China at the bottom of its qualifying group, a painful reminder of how far the team has fallen. Once dreaming of competing with the world's best, China is now struggling to beat teams like Oman and Hong Kong.
If Beijing truly wants to fix its football crisis, it may have to embrace what it fears most—letting go of control. Until then, China's football dreams remain exactly that: just dreams.
