Van Puyvelde leaves CFA technical role

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced on Sunday that Chris Van Puyvelde is leaving his role as technical director after concluding amicable negotiations with the governing body.

The CFA said Van Puyvelde made the decision due to personal reasons and the Belgian will leave for his home country on Monday.

The 63-year-old signed a four-year deal with the CFA in late 2018, tasked with technical development, coaching and the cultivation of youth players.

"We are very thankful for Chris' contributions to the development of Chinese soccer over the past three and a half years. We wish 'the friend of Chinese soccer' all the best in his life and work in the future," read a CFA statement.

The former technical chief of the Belgian Football Association, Van Puyvelde was one of the masterminds behind the Belgium team that finished third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.