China fans savage football team after World Cup failure, say it should be disbanded
China fans are used to being disappointed by their men's football team, but having their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup dashed by Indonesia appears to have been the final straw.
A 1-0 defeat in Jakarta on Thursday was the first time, according to Chinese state media, they had lost to their rivals in 68 years.
Their opponents, meanwhile, suggested it was only 38 years, pointing to a match in the King's Cup in Thailand in 1987, when a Galatama XI beat Hubei 3-1.
Either way, social media was awash with supporters suggesting the time had come to disband a side that was 'a waste of national resources'. Another commenter believed 'any of the people in the village supermarket are better than them'.
There was some humour too, with one fan suggesting things were not all bad, as there was now time to 'prepare for the 2030 World Cup four years in advance', while another wondered whether the money spent on the team might be put to better use by 'building 10 more aircraft carriers'.
Indonesia players take in the celebrations after their victory over China. Photo: Xinhua
Predictably, head coach Branko Ivankovic came in for some heavy criticism, although there was also a lot of discussion about a Chinese system that has failed to produce a World Cup side for more than 20 years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
21 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia, EU to conclude 9 years of free trade negotiations
Indonesia said on Saturday that free trade negotiations with the European Union, which have been ongoing for nine years, are expected to be concluded by the end of June. Airlangga Hartarto, the chief economic minister for Southeast Asia's biggest economy, met with EU Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic in Brussels on Friday. 'Indonesia and the European Union have agreed to conclude outstanding issues and we are ready to announce a conclusion of substantial negotiations by the end of June 2025,' Airlangga Hartarto said in a statement. Indonesia will get zero tariffs for 80 per cent of its export products to the EU and removal of non-tariff barriers, as it pushes for bigger market access for footwear, garments, palm oil and fishery products, Airlanga told a press conference later on Saturday. The EU has discussed Jakarta's rules on mandatory use of local content in products sold in the Indonesian market, the automotive industry, trade of critical minerals and investment facilities, Airlangga said. Indonesia and the EU have previously disagreed on EU trade rules for products with potential links to deforestation that could affect Indonesian palm oil.
South China Morning Post
26 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
US-China trade talks round 2 in London ‘positive step' but rough road ahead: analysts
US-China trade talks in London next week would signal positive development in ties but the negotiations would not be easy, observers said. Meanwhile, Chinese state media reaction to the expected talks was muted, with commentaries reminding the US to honour its pledges while asserting Beijing's red lines. On Friday, a day after his much-anticipated phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump announced that a new round of high-level bilateral meetings were due to take place in the British capital. 'I am pleased to announce that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, will be meeting in London on Monday, June 9, 2025, with Representatives of China, with reference to the Trade Deal,' Trump wrote on his social media platform. 'The meeting should go very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' During their phone conversation on Thursday – the first since Trump returned to the White House in January – the two leaders agreed to advance talks aimed at resolving trade disputes between the world's two largest economies.
South China Morning Post
32 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
South Korea has a new president. Will it have a different China policy?
South Korea's new progressive president is likely to adopt a more 'prudent' stance on Taiwan than his predecessor and focus on boosting economic ties with Beijing , according to observers. But they also expect continuity in trilateral military cooperation with the US and Japan. Lee Jae-myung was sworn in after winning a snap election held on Tuesday, two months after his predecessor – Yoon Suk-yeol – was impeached and removed over his abrupt declaration of martial law in December. Lee and his progressive Democratic Party of Korea are largely regarded as more friendly towards China and North Korea compared to Yoon and his conservative People Power Party. The power shift has prompted speculation about a potential recalibration in Seoul's foreign policy towards the US and fellow American treaty ally Japan, as well as China and traditional adversary North Korea. . During his 2022 presidential campaign against Yoon , Lee faced criticism for describing US Forces Korea (USFK) as 'occupation forces' 03:17 South Korea's new president Lee Jae-myung vows to fix economy, hold talks with North Korea South Korea's new president Lee Jae-myung vows to fix economy, hold talks with North Korea Under Yoon, Seoul emphasised its commitment to the US alliance and stronger three-way cooperation with Washington and Tokyo in addressing security challenges outside the Korean peninsula. This included expressing concerns about People's Liberation Army activities in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
