CCTV9英语新闻：Chinese football rests on the shoulders of future generations

China has a long way to go before it can realize national ambitions to become a world football powerhouse. A new football reform plan is pinning the country's football dreams on future generations. How does China plan to train tomorrow's Messis and Christie Ronaldos? 

 

A small campus football league is rolling out. This is Anwaisantiao Primary School in Eastern Beijing. One of the 20,000 planned specialty schools training Chinese students to be top football players. These kids are still in first grade. But all of them say, they love the sport.

 

The school also offers professional coaching to students who want to polish their football skills.

 

Anwaisantiao's school team is one of the best in Beijing. Last year, the team played football for Chinese President Xi Jinping. And some students even travelled to France to train with French football legend, Zidane.

 

At the moment, what's happening on this field is just a first small step in China's quest to become a world football superpower. But maybe when look back in 10 years time, we will see that it was the start of a giant leap.

 

China needs to overcome one major obstacle before it can realize its global football ambitions. Chinese parents. Most of them want their kids to focus on school. Anwaisantiao's principal told me her solution.

 

Anwaisantiao has nearly 600 students. And all of them play football.

 

In less than 4 years, China aims to introduce similar programs in primary and middle schools nationwide. With the goal of increasing the number of active football players to 30 million. Just imagine what could happen if all those figures become a reality? Maybe the next Messi or Mata, will be called Li instead.