AFC Champions League - Melbourne Victory v Shanghai Sipg (Photo : Getty Images)
Shanghai SPG head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson just made a fearless forecast on Wednesday during the press conference for the Asian Champions League (ACL) in Australia. The ex-national team coach of England said that by 2026 or 2031, China has good chances of bagging a World Cup title.
Although China is not a top-ranked football nation, currently in 93rd spot in FIFA ranking, Eriksson is confident that with heavy spending on football, the Asian giant could as well be a major contender in the global soccer arena. He is happy at the amount of money being poured into football, especially on the Chinese Super League.
Eriksson said that the financial support would later yield success for the national team in international sports competitions, reported China Daily.
The coach recounted being in Italy in the 1990s at the peak of popularity of the sport in the country. At the turn of the millennium, he was in England at a time when the national fervor for soccer was at an all-time high. “All the players wanted to go to the Premier League because of more money and good football,” said Eriksson who pointed out on Tuesday that he was always at the right place and right time when it comes to football fever.
Eriksson does not predict on wishful thinking. He cited the improvement in junior ranks and the opening of youth academies to train the next Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Lionel Messi through CSL clubs as evidence.
Dario Conca, midfielder of Shanghai SIPG added that it is not just the players who are improving. He acknowledged the role of world-class coaches in developing the national team to attain global standards of excellence.
Shanghai SIPG battled the Melbourne Victory in the ACL on Wednesday, but lost to the Aussie team 2-1. The opening night win of Melbourne was courtesy of a penalty to Besart Berisha who beat Yan Junling, the Shanghai goalkeeper, from the spot after Kosta Barbabouses seemed to be fouled inside the box, but the referee signaled a penalty, reported Goal.
