Steel Roses back to their roots and back in bloom

A number of Chinese companies have already taken it upon themselves to reward the Steel Roses, with dairy giant Mengniu Group gifting the team 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) after its heroics on Sunday.

Now the challenge is to continue to revive past glories, such as the runner-up finishes at the 1996 Olympics and 1999 World Cup, as well as improve the standard of the domestic leagues and youth training to give the country a better chance of producing more players like Wang Shuang and Tang Jiali.

Sunday's win certainly showed that such targets are achievable, and former men's national team striker Li Yi summed up the mood of the nation when he wrote on social media: "I just cannot calm down, I'm so excited. The women's soccer team has great spirit and skill. A new coach can transform a team. They are our role models!"