Striking hard against the system

Star forward says China failed to take advantage of 2002 World Cup efforts

Editor's note: Soccer is the world's No 1 sport, and China has its own aims for the game. President Xi Jinping has spoken about his soccer dream: China reaching the World Cup, China hosting the Cup and, ultimately, China winning the coveted trophy. However, China still lags far behind in the soccer world. The 2014 Brazil World Cup is just around the corner and we have selected 11 key figures from around the country to tell us about their soccer dreams. The interviews will be on RTHK Putonghua Channel at 4 pm on Sundays through June 8.

Sitting on his couch, Hao Haidong, the former top striker in Asia, speaks the same way he played in his heyday: with passion ... and straight to the point.