With the Asian Games approaching, the fate of the Chinese women's soccer team hangs in the balance, and the person in charge, Sun Wen, may be facing unprecedented pressure. On the one hand, the return of Zhang Linyan, who went to the Swiss Women's Super League to further her studies, has brought new variables to the Chinese Super League women's soccer team, and Shui Qingxia's persistence in training seems to be laying the groundwork for Zhang Linyan's return to study abroad again.
On the other hand, the Chinese women's soccer team has recently made waves again, this time with a scandal that was even more shocking than the previous incidents of Wang Frost and Xiao Yuyi, leaving fans disheartened. Overseas failed players broke out in scandals, making many fans wonder if perhaps this is the reason why Shui Qingxia gave up on Tang Jiali and Xiao Yuyi.
In the face of successive scandals, Sun Wen's situation is precarious. If she is caught by the attention of the General Administration of Sport like the Chinese men's soccer team, she may not be able to escape the investigation and accountability. The next Asian Games may be the last straw for Sun and Shui Qingxia. If they fail to win at home, the coaching team and management may be at risk of liquidation.
Let's start by focusing on Zhao Yujie's recent revelations about the Chinese women's soccer scandal.
After the announcement of the Women's World Cup finalists, Zhao Yujie, who studied in Denmark, sparked a public furor. She posted a screenshot of many players who were underweight, suggesting that the national team might be eliminated early as a result. Zhao Yujie's comments revealed problems in the selection process, and "weight" became one of the criteria.
In an interaction with fans, Zhao Yujie revealed that players are required to report their weight daily during national team training. This also raised questions about the selection criteria of Shui Qingxia's team. The fact that some tall players missed out on the World Cup because of their weight is both ridiculous and regrettable to fans.
In this World Cup, overseas players like Zhao Yujie (24) and Shen Menglu (22) were discarded by Shui Qingxia, while Shen Mengyu (22) and Wang Shuang (28) could only serve as substitutes despite being selected for the roster. Tang Jiali (28) and Xiao Yuyi (27) even had to wait silently for their chance.
The common feature of these players is their thinner stature, in contrast to veterans like Wang Shanshan and Lou Jiahui. Players such as Tang Jiali, Xiao Yuyi, and Wang Frost excel in confrontation.
Shui Qingxia's abandonment of veterans over the age of 30 made the Chinese women's soccer team lack confrontation against England. As long as the opponent is in good form, the Chinese women's soccer team is often unable to take control of the ball.
Zhao Yujie's news made many fans understand why Shui Qingxia gave up on Tang Jiali and Xiao Yuyi, and Wang Frost could only play as a substitute. On the one hand, compared to Lou Jiahui and Wang Shanshan, their weight clearly falls short of the coaching team's requirements. On the other hand, the coaching team seems to think that being strong means lacking stamina to run consistently.
In the past, fans used to tease that even if Lionel Messi came to China, it would be difficult for him to be selected for the national team because of his lack of height; nowadays, China's women's soccer team is also like the men's soccer team, which selects players on the basis of their "weight". Players are not allowed to play, and those who are 27 or 28 years old cannot compete with those who are in their 30s. As a result, the future of the Chinese women's soccer team is getting bleaker and bleaker.
