Former China national team captain Li Weifeng has delivered a critical assessment of football management in China, attributing the sport’s struggles to systemic issues that sideline talented individuals in favor of those with social connections. Speaking during a recent social media livestream, Li argued that the problems in Chinese football extend beyond individual capabilities, rooted instead in entrenched industry practices that hinder genuine meritocracy.
Li, who played for the national team from 1998 to 2011 and retired from professional football in 2015, pointed to the controversial dismissal of former head coach Bora Milutinovic as a clear example of these underlying challenges. Milutinovic, a Serbian coach who led China to its only FIFA World Cup appearance in 2002, was not offered a contract extension after the tournament despite the historic qualification. The team lost all three group stage matches that year against Costa Rica, Brazil, and Turkey.
“Bora is too capable, and he has too many ideas of his own,” Li said, suggesting that Milutinovic’s independent approach clashed with the prevailing system. He further explained that, at the time, individuals outside established networks found it difficult to secure positions based purely on their professional merits. According to Li, ingrained social hierarchies have a significant influence over who attains leadership roles in Chinese football.
“Without breaking down these barriers, no matter how many managers, coaching teams, or player rosters are changed, the current state of the industry cannot be altered,” Li emphasized.
Public reaction on Chinese social media echoed a mix of resignation and hope. Some users acknowledged that similar issues affect many sectors beyond sports, while others expressed support for reform. One commenter highlighted that those benefiting from the existing system have become obstacles to progress, stating, “We won’t change if we don’t acknowledge it, we won’t improve if we don’t change.”
The 2002 coaching decision was described by some as “the biggest scandal” in China football history, with Milutinovic viewed as having been unfairly treated.
The recent life sentence of Hui Ka-yan (also known as Xu Jiayin), founder of Evergrande Group, reignited discussions about the company’s significant involvement in Chinese football. Li recalled an episode when Evergrande, then in China League One, attempted to recruit him from South Korea’s Suwon Bluewings via a contract faxed without a salary figure, instructing him to “fill in anything.” Li declined to sign.
Estimates suggest Xu invested approximately 17 billion yuan (around HK$19.8 billion) in football-related projects between 2010 and 2011, allocating 14 billion yuan to the Evergrande team and another 3 billion yuan to the Evergrande Football School. Reports indicate that the team’s pre-tax salary expenses reached as high as 1.45 billion yuan in 2018.
Some observers on social media argue that despite the long-standing decline in Chinese football, Li’s willingness to address sensitive issues publicly marks a turning point. Among the problems cited are inflated player salaries that discourage moves abroad and a culture that marginalizes the most capable individuals, thereby undermining the sport’s development nationwide.