What they say

Along with China's social and economic development, hosting the World Cup will naturally be included on the government agenda in the near future, although we haven't had a timetable for it. It's not all important for China to achieve elite results at the prestigious tournament quickly, given our current low level. Involving more people in soccer exercise while expanding the game's influence is our goal through bidding for the tournament.

Cai Zhenhua, chief of the Chinese Football Association and deputy head of the General Administration of Sport of China

The old way of drafting young talent from an early age and isolating them at a certain training base from schools and parents, as we used to do, won't produce good results. The best way to involve China's large group of teenagers is to bring soccer training to campuses, introducing it as a mandatory part of a school's physical education curriculum. Only by doing so can we produce elite talent at the top of the pyramid with a solid foundation.