Latest news with #TakumiMinamino
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
A soccer mystery: Why mighty China fails at the world's biggest sport
Li Tie, then head coach of the Chinese national soccer team, looks on during a training session in Shanghai, China on May 11, 2020.(Chinatopix via AP) FILE - Japan's Takumi Minamino and China's Liu Yangyi compete for the ball during a World Cup and AFC Asian Qualifier between Japan and China at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, on Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File) FIEL - Then Vice President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China kicks a football during visit to Croke Park Stadium, Dublin, Ireland on Feb. 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Brendan Moran, Pool, File) A Booster T1 robot from Booster Robotics prepares to kick a football during a demonstration to the Zhongguancun Forum at the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center in Beijing, China, on March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) FILE - A Chinese soccer fan cheers for his team before their AFC Asian Cup group A soccer match against Qatar in Doha, Qatar, on Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) FILE - A Chinese soccer fan cheers for his team before their AFC Asian Cup group A soccer match against Qatar in Doha, Qatar, on Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) Li Tie, then head coach of the Chinese national soccer team, looks on during a training session in Shanghai, China on May 11, 2020.(Chinatopix via AP) FILE - Japan's Takumi Minamino and China's Liu Yangyi compete for the ball during a World Cup and AFC Asian Qualifier between Japan and China at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, on Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File) FIEL - Then Vice President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China kicks a football during visit to Croke Park Stadium, Dublin, Ireland on Feb. 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Brendan Moran, Pool, File) A Booster T1 robot from Booster Robotics prepares to kick a football during a demonstration to the Zhongguancun Forum at the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center in Beijing, China, on March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) FILE - A Chinese soccer fan cheers for his team before their AFC Asian Cup group A soccer match against Qatar in Doha, Qatar, on Jan. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited a company that makes humanoid robots. There he floated an idea to fix the country's woeful men's soccer team. 'Can we have robots join the team?' Xi was quoted as saying on the website of Zhiyuan Robotics. Advertisement It might be too late. China will be out of World Cup qualifying if it fails to beat Indonesia on Thursday. Even a victory may only delay the departure. What's the problem? China has 1.4 billion people, the globe's second largest economy and won 40 Olympic gold medals last year in Paris to tie the United States. Why can't it find 11 elite men's soccer players? How soccer explains a bit of China The government touches every aspect of life in China. That top-down control has helped China become the largest manufacturer of everything from electronics to shoes to steel. It has tried to run soccer, but that rigid governance hasn't worked. Advertisement 'What soccer reflects is the social and political problems of China," Zhang Feng, a Chinese journalist and commentator, tells The Associated Press. "It's not a free society. It doesn't have the team-level trust that allows players to pass the ball to each other without worrying.' Zhang argues that politics has stalled soccer's growth. And there's added pressure since Xi's a big fan and has promised to resuscitate the game at home. Soccer is a world language with its 'own grammar,' says Zhang, and China doesn't speak it. 'In China, the more emphasis the leader places on soccer, the more nervous the society gets, the more power the bureaucrats get, and the more corrupt they become," Zhang adds. Xi Jinping's dream — or nightmare? Advertisement After China defeated Thailand 2-1 in 2023, Xi joked with Srettha Thavisin, the Thai prime minister at the time. "I feel luck was a big part of it,' Xi said. The consensus is clear. China has too few quality players at the grass roots, too much political interference from the Communist Party, and there's too much corruption in the local game. Wang Xiaolei, another prominent Chinese commentator, suggests that soccer clashes with China's top-down governance and the emphasis on rote learning. 'What are we best at? Dogma," Wang wrote in a blog last year. 'But football cannot be dogmatic. What are we worst at? Inspiring ingenuity, and cultivating passion.' Advertisement Soccer is bigger than China The latest chapter in China's abysmal men's soccer history was a 7-0 loss last year to geopolitical rival Japan. 'The fact that this defeat can happen and people aren't that surprised — despite the historical animosity — just illustrates the problems facing football in China," says Cameron Wilson, a Scot who has worked in China for 20 years and written extensively about the game there. China has qualified for only one men's World Cup. That was 2002 when it went scoreless and lost all three matches. Soccer's governing body FIFA places China at No. 94 in its rankings — behind war-torn Syria and ahead of No. 95 Benin. Advertisement For perspective: Iceland is the smallest country to reach the World Cup. Its latest population estimate is almost 400,000. The website Soccerway tracks global football and doesn't show a single Chinese player in a top European league. The national team's best player is forward Wu Lei, who played for three seasons in Spain's La Liga for Espanyol. The club's majority owner in Chinese. The 2026 World Cup will have a field of 48 teams, a big increase on the 32 in 2022, yet China still might not make it. China will be eliminated from qualification if it loses to Indonesia. Even if it wins, China must also beat Bahrain on June 10 to have any hope of advancing to Asia's next qualifying stage. Advertisement An outsider views Chinese soccer Englishman Rowan Simons has spent almost 40 years in China and gained fame doing television commentary in Chinese on English Premier League matches. He also wrote the 2008 book 'Bamboo Goalposts.' China is benefiting from reforms over the last decade that placed soccer in schools. But Simons argues that soccer culture grows from volunteers, civil society and club organizations, none of which can flourish in China since they are possible challengers to the rule of the Communist Party. 'In China at the age of 12 or 13, when kids go to middle school, it's known as the cliff,' he says. "Parents may allow their kids to play sports when they're younger, but as soon as it comes to middle school the academic pressure is on — things like sport go by the wayside.' Advertisement To be fair, the Chinese women's team has done better than the men. China finished runner-up in the 1999 Women's World Cup but has faded as European teams have surged with built-in expertise from the men's game. Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup. China was knocked out early, battered 6-1 by England in group play. China has been successful targeting Olympic sports, some of which are relatively obscure and rely on repetitive training more than creativity. Olympic team sports like soccer offer only one medal. So, like many countries, China focuses on sports with multiple medals. In China's case it's diving, table tennis and weightlifting. 'For young people, there's a single value — testing well,' says Zhang, the commentator and journalist. "China would be OK if playing soccer were only about bouncing the ball 1,000 times." The face of corruption Advertisement Li Tie, the national team coach for about two years beginning in January 2020, was last year sentenced to 20 years in prison for bribery and match fixing. Other top administrators have also been accused of corruption. The graft also extended to the domestic Super League. Clubs spent millions — maybe billions — on foreign talents backed by many state-owned businesses and, before the collapse of the housing boom, real-estate developers. The poster child was Guangzhou Evergrande. The eight-time Super League champions, once coached by Italian Marcello Lippi, was expelled from the league and disbanded earlier this year, unable to pay off its debts. Zhang says businessmen invested in professional soccer teams as a 'political tribute" and cited Hui Ka-yan. The embattled real estate developer financed the Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club and used soccer to win favor from politicians. Advertisement Property giant Evergrande has amassed debts reported at $300 billion, reflective of China's battered property segment and the general health of the economy. 'China's failure at the international level and corruption throughout the game, these are all factors that lead parents away from letting their kids get involved,' says Simons, who founded a youth soccer club called China Club Football FC. 'Parents look at what's going on and question if they want their kids to be involved. It's sad and frustrating.' ___ Wade reported from Tokyo and Tang from Washington. ___ AP soccer:
The Mainichi
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Football: Cerezo forward Kitano to join Salzburg: sources
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Twenty-year-old Japanese forward Sota Kitano is joining Salzburg from J-League first-division club Cerezo Osaka, sources close to the matter said Wednesday. The Cerezo youth product follows in the footsteps of Takumi Minamino in leaving the Osaka outfit for the Austrian club after the current Japan and Monaco attacker made the move in 2015. Kitano made his J1 debut in 2022 and represented Japan at the U-20 World Cup in 2023 in Argentina. He is set to leave Cerezo after their home game against Shimizu S-Pulse on Sunday and signs a contract with Salzburg pending a successful medical.
Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'I won title with Liverpool but it didn't mean much – I'm happier now I've left'
Takumi Minamino made history in the 2019/20 season by becoming the first Japanese player to pull on the red shirt of Liverpool, and won the Premier League title just months into his arrival at the club. The talented left winger caught the eye of the Anfield faithful during a group stage Champions League game with Red Bull Salzburg. He scored and assisted in a narrow 4-3 defeat for the Austrian side in October 2019. Just weeks later, the Reds agreed a deal to sign Minamino in the January transfer window after triggering his £7.25million release clause. Speaking about his joy at joining Liverpool at the time, the winger said: "It has been a dream, my dream to become a Liverpool player. And I'm so excited that the moment has come true." After just 10 appearances in the league, Minamino joined the rest of the Liverpool squad in a historic moment, as they lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time in the modern era. The Reds' triumph was their first league trophy in 30 years, and was also one of the first celebrations to be had during the coronavirus pandemic. However, Minamino felt undeserving of his medal, as he told Liverpool's official matchday programme in 2021 that his mid-season arrival had an impact on the celebrations. He said: "It isn't very easy to describe my feelings. "Of course I was happy but at the same time I only played for the team for half the season and I was quite doubtful I had contributed to the team 100 per cent. "When I lifted the trophy I was feeling proud but at the same time I thought that I needed to play well throughout a whole season and my aim is to hopefully do that and help the team to lift the trophy again this season." Unfortunately, a key starting position in Liverpool's attacking line didn't materialise for Minamino, who went on to make 55 appearances across a further two seasons for the club. During this time, he scored 14 goals and assisted three times, while also going out on loan to fellow Premier League side at the time, Southampton. The Japanese international made 10 appearances for the Saints, scoring twice before rejoining Liverpool for the 2021/22 season. It wasn't until the summer of 2022 that Minamino found solace elsewhere, leaving the Premier League behind for Ligue 1 club AS Monaco in a deal worth up to £15.5m. Since then, the 30-year-old has made 99 appearances for Monaco, scoring 19 goals and assisting 15 times from a more central attacking role. While no silverware has come for Minamino since leaving the Reds, he told Monaco's official website in March this year that he feels "very good" at the club, and wants to continue his career there for as long as he can. Minamino, whose contract with the Ligue 1 club now runs until 2027, said: "I am very happy to have extended with AS Monaco because I want to stay here as long as possible. The Club has shown that it believes in me by offering me this new contract, it is the most important thing in my eyes. I feel good in my personal life, in the Club and with the staff." He added: "I feel very good in Monaco, I like the city and the people. I have several Japanese friends who live near here even if the most important thing for me is football, that's why I wanted to extend. "Besides that, I have a few favourite restaurants in the Principality and I love going to the Tête de Chien where the view of Monaco is simply magnificent." With a Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup under his arm, Minamino was undoubtedly successful in England when it came to silverware. However, the veteran winger seems to value his personal success on the pitch above all. He is continuing a productive career outside the glamour of the Premier League, and he is happy doing so. He'll have no doubt, though, been smiling watching his old team lift the Premier League trophy at Anfield on Sunday, as Liverpool finally got their hands on it to round off an impressive debut season for manager Arne Slot. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
Straits Times
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Marseille and Monaco secure Champions League berths with top-three Ligue 1 spots
Monaco's Swiss forward Breel Embolo celebrates at the end of the French Ligue 1 match against Olympique Lyonnais in Monaco on May 10, 2025. PHOTO: AFP Marseille's supporters cheer and light flares ahead of their French Ligue 1 away match against Le Havre on May 10, 2025. PHOTO: AFP PARIS - Olympique de Marseille survived a mid-match interruption due to crowd trouble to secure their place in next season's Champions League with a 3-1 Ligue 1 win at Le Havre, while Monaco made sure of a top three finish with a 2-0 victory over Olympique Lyonnais. Second half goals from Takumi Minamino and Denis Zakaria sealed Monaco a place in Europe's top club competition, where they will join Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain and Marseille. Marseille led at Le Havre through Amine Gouiri's 53rd minute score but saw Issa Soumare equalise after a 15-minute interruption in the second half when the referee took the teams into the changing rooms in response to trouble in the stands. But Mason Greenwood struck his 19th league goal of the season in the 86th minute to put them back ahead and Gouiri added the third deep in stoppage time to leave Le Havre facing the possibility of relegation next Saturday when all nine fixtures will kick off simultaneously. Marseille moved up to 62 points while Monaco are on 61. The other French places in European club competitions will be decided on the final day of the season next weekend. Fourth place in Ligue 1, which guarantees a place in the Champions League preliminary rounds next season, is still up for grabs with Nice, Lille and Strasbourg all on 57 points after they all lost on the road. PSG rested almost all of the team that earlier this week secured a place in the Champions League final but still turned out comfortable 4-1 winners at Montpellier. PSG had already retained the title last month and with both the Coupe de France final and the Champions League decider against Inter Milan later this month, coach Luis Enrique elected to field a second-string side, keeping only two starters from Wednesday's semi-final success over Arsenal. They still proved too strong, however, for already-relegated Montpellier with Goncalo Ramos netting three, one from the penalty spot, after teenager Senny Mayulu had the opened the scoring one minute before halftime. PSG advanced to 81 points. Stade Rennais beat Nice 2-0 while Lille were edged by the same score at Brest. Strasbourg lost 2-1 at Angers, who moved to safety with the win. St Etienne kept alive their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 2-0 away win over cup finalist Stade Reims. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Kyodo News
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Football: Minamino opener helps Monaco secure Champions League berth
KYODO NEWS - 8 hours ago - 13:29 | Sports, All Japan attacker Takumi Minamino scored the opener for his sixth league goal of the season as Monaco secured Champions League qualification with a 2-0 home win over Lyon on Saturday in the French Ligue 1. Minamino completed a 62nd-minute counter to break a deadlock at Stade Louis II as his left-footed shot from inside the box split the legs of a defender and found the bottom right corner. Captain Denis Zakaria headed in a free-kick six minutes later to complete the scoring and Monaco ensured a top-three finish after moving four points clear of Nice with a game to go. In the German Bundesliga, forward Shuto Machino set up the opener but Holstein Kiel were relegated as they lost 2-1 at home to Freiburg. Machino, who has bagged 11 goals this term, drifted in from the left and played through Lasse Rosenboom to put Kiel in front in the 24th minute. But Johan Manzambi scrambled in just before the break and Lucas Holer's header turned the game around in the 58th minute. Ritsu Doan starred for fourth-placed Freiburg as they moved a step closer to the Champions League qualification with a game remaining. Midfielder Reo Hatate scored his 10th goal of the season in the Scottish Premiership as champions Celtic beat Hibernian 3-1 at home, netting in the 58th minute for the last goal of the game. Veteran defender Shogo Taniguchi returned to action in Belgium as Sint-Truiden drew 2-2 at Kortrijk. The 33-year-old has been out since November after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
