Summary of the Key Points
This article uses the commercial success and football stories surrounding the 2026 World Cup (noting that Spain defeated Argentina, implying a hypothetical future World Cup scenario) to discuss the current state of Chinese football. It highlights that while the World Cup has become one of the most profitable cultural IPs globally, Chinese football seems to be moving further away from the tournament. At the same time, the passion for football among the Chinese people has not diminished; instead, it has grown in areas such as amateur leagues and rural football. The core argument is that what Chinese football lacks is not a lack of enthusiasm, but a "football ecosystem" that can transform that passion into tangible strength—specifically, long-term and stable youth training programs, school football initiatives, and community-based leagues, rather than focusing solely on the short-term performance of the national team.
1. The World Cup Is Long Not Just About Playing Football; It’s a Profitable Cultural IP
The World Cup has evolved into a "super commercial engine." This article states that this year's tournament generated over $40 billion in economic impact, driven by various aspects such as event organization, corporate sponsorship, and social media promotion. For example, the United States turned the World Cup into a cultural spectacle, earning substantial profits from ticket sales, broadcasting rights, merchandise, advertising, and tourism. This shows that the World Cup has transcended being just a sports event; it has become a cultural symbol that attracts people worldwide to spend money, time, and engage emotionally—much like Disneyland, which attracts visitors regardless of their interest in playing football.
2. The Paradox of Chinese Football: Growing Popularity Among Fans, Declining Performance of the National Team
This summer, there was a strange phenomenon: Chinese fans seemed to have renewed their love for football, yet the national team's performance worsened. The article cites several examples: football-related films became popular, amateur leagues gained viewership, and rural football activities flourished, indicating that the general public's interest in football remains strong. However, the national team's performance has declined since its last World Cup appearance in 2002. This is like everyone enjoying hot pot but lacking the knowledge or resources to prepare the base ingredients for it—there is a passion for football, but no clear path to convert that passion into professional competence.
3. The Root of the Problem: The Lack of an Ecosystem to Transform Passion into Strength
Many people argue that Chinese fans' lack of interest in football is why the team performs poorly, but this argument is debunked by the examples from this summer. The real issue is the absence of a framework that can support and nurture this passion. For instance, Spain's La Masia training camp has been nurturing young players for decades, producing stars like Messi and Amar; Japan's combination of school football and professional leagues has continuously improved its national team for over thirty years. In contrast, China has focused solely on the national team, with celebratory moments when they win and criticism when they lose, without investing in long-term infrastructure such as youth training and community-based initiatives.
4. A Beginning of Change: Shifting from Criticizing the National Team to Supporting Fundamental Development
This summer, there was a positive change: people began to pay attention to grassroots efforts such as community leagues and school football programs. For example, Dong Lu has been training young players for ten years, helping them reach higher levels. The article emphasizes that individual stars cannot save a struggling system; it is the system itself that produces talent. Stars like Messi and Amar emerged from well-established ecosystems. If more people are willing to commit to these long-term efforts, Chinese football has a chance of improvement.
5. The Real Question: When Will We Have Our Own Ecosystem?
During the World Cup, people often ask when China will qualify again, but this is a matter of outcome. The article argues that the World Cup is a result, not the cause. Spain's success is due to decades of investment in its football ecosystem; Japan's progress is the result of a sustained system over thirty years. What we need to ask is when we will have a sustainable system capable of producing talented players. The 2002 World Cup was a peak, reflecting our past emphasis on quick results rather than long-term development. What we need to focus on is not the next World Cup, but the next generation of players—because the World Cup comes every four years, but football does not wait for any one generation.
In Conclusion
Chinese football needs to improve, not through criticism or by waiting for a miraculous star to emerge. It requires building an ecosystem that allows passion to take root and flourish—starting with children, community leagues, and youth training. Only by making these investments can we truly move closer to the World Cup.