On September 5, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers held in Saitama, Japan, the Chinese men's national football team faced a devastating 7-0 defeat against the Japanese team. In response to this loss, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) organized a seminar aimed at evaluating the various deficiencies that contributed to the team's underwhelming performance. The event, referred to as "Reflections on the World Cup Qualifier between China and Japan," was led by Zhang Jiasheng, who serves as the vice president of the General Administration of Sport of China and is also a secretary within the CFA Party Committee.
Zhang compared the disastrous match against Japan with a previous narrow defeat to South Korea, which ended 1-0, in order to spotlight various issues plaguing the team. These issues were related to the team's objectives during matches, their tactical alignments, communication difficulties among players, teamwork, and the overall morale of the squad. He pointed out five ongoing challenges within the management of the national team, such as the effectiveness of CFA leadership, the coach's impact on team dynamics, the essential role of players, the functioning of the National Team Management Department, and the need for better coordination among various departments.
To tackle these problems, the CFA revealed a series of corrective steps it intends to implement immediately. Zhang laid out nine proposed initiatives aimed at improving team management and boosting performance, which include reinforcing the CFA’s leadership role, ensuring that coach strategies align with player responsibilities, and extending the development model of the national team to club football. Furthermore, he urged all parties involved in Chinese soccer to use the experience from the match against Japan as an opportunity for introspection and underlined the need for a collective commitment to enhance standards and achieve excellence.
Additionally, the CFA reiterated its focus on several key areas, such as enhancing youth training, reforming the professional league structure, building a more competitive national team, and promoting internal development within the association. Zhang expressed optimism that the proposed reforms would lay a solid groundwork for the long-term rejuvenation of Chinese soccer, supporting continued growth and future success in the sport.
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