In the early hours of May 13, Beijing time, the U17 Asian Cup continued in Saudi Arabia. With goals from He Sifan and Zhang Boren, China’s U17 team defeated Qatar 2-0, securing their spot in the U17 World Cup for the first time in 21 years.
This year is crucial and unique for all levels of Chinese men’s football and their fans. In January’s U23 Asian Cup, the Chinese U23 team defeated strong opponents like Uzbekistan, Australia, and Vietnam to reach the final, ending a 22-year drought without a men’s national team final appearance.
Following that, on May 13, the Chinese U17 team advanced to the quarterfinals of the U17 Asian Cup as group runners-up and also qualified for the U17 World Cup, breaking a 21-year absence from global competitions.
Looking ahead, in September, the Chinese U23 team will regroup to compete in the Asian Games. Next year, the Chinese U20 team will host the U20 Asian Cup as the tournament’s host nation.
