Dutch soccer stars to cultivate Chinese youth

A legendary Dutch soccer trio who rocked the soccer world decades ago has now set their sights on helping the game's development among youth in China.

Beijing-based Huaaoqidi Youth Training Academy announced on Tuesday at its establishment ceremony that it had signed up an experienced coaching crew, including former Dutch national players Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, to offer youth training programs featuring Dutch expertise at Beijing schools.

The program was the highlight of a partnership recently inked between the academy and Beijing Campus Football Association to organize training clinics in about 200 schools in Beijing and train 1,200 physical education teachers specialized in soccer over three years.