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Erika Na

Argentina has promised to provide coaches and technicians to help train Chinese footballers ahead of a visit by President Alberto Fernandez to the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The plan to set up a soccer school was announced on Thursday by the Argentine ambassador to China, Sabino Vaca Narvaja, in an interview with the Global Times.
The ambassador said the Olympics should not be politicised because it should be an occasion for “all countries to show unity and harmony,” adding that the president’s visit showed the importance he attached to China hosting the Games and the relationship between the two countries.
“Sports cooperation will become the future – the main content of Argentina-China cooperation,” he added.
When Maradona spurned Deng Xiaoping invite to play in China
The news that the two-time world champions and home to the likes of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi would be providing coaches follows the Chinese men’s team’s devastating 3-1 defeat to Vietnam on Tuesday, which ended any hopes of qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar.
The team has made little impact on the world stage despite strong government support over the past decade or so.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has often spoken of his love of football and ended a state visit to Britain with a visit to Manchester City’s academy, has set ambitious targets for the national team.
In 2011, when still vice-president, Xi said he had three dreams for the national team – to qualify for, host and eventually win the World Cup.
Five years later in 2016, Xi, now the president, vowed that China would become “a first-class football superpower” by 2050.
His ambitions have not only prompted increased investment in the game, but also the establishment of “football-focused” kindergartens.
In the first phase of the plan, the education ministry announced that the game would be included as a special activity in the curriculums of 3,000 kindergartens while around 200 kindergarten directors and 200 teachers would by trained by staff from the English Football Association.

In spite of the strong governmental backing, the Chinese men’s team currently ranks 74th in the Fifa world rankings – well behind neighbours such as Japan and South Korea (at 26 and 33 respectively) and also below the likes of Iceland, Cape Verde and Jamaica.
It has only qualified for one World Cup – back in 2002, when it failed to win a game.


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China coach Li Xiaopeng during the 2-0 defeat by Japan in Saitama on January 27. Photo: Reuters/Issei Kato

Wu Xi of China runs with the ball past Pham Tuan Hai of Vietnam. Photo: VNA/Handout via Xinhua

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China


Argentina has pledged to provide coaches for a new soccer school ahead of a visit by President Alberto Fernandez to the Beijing Winter Olympics
Despite strong support from President Xi Jinping, the Chinese men’s national team this week failed to qualify for the Qatar World Cup



Despite strong support from President Xi Jinping, the Chinese men’s national team this week failed to qualify for the Qatar World Cup.


Argentina