Explained: China Dreams of Football Glory at Last-But on the eSports Pitch

While China's real-life football team struggles, the nation is turning its hopes to the virtual pitch. Players like Zhao Yitang are achieving international success in football eSports, and the Chinese Football Association plans a national team.

Beijing: Zhao Yitang had always dreamed of playing football for China and this summer he finally did -- not in boots on a pitch, but on a smartphone.

As the global popularity of football eSports grows, China is vying for success on the virtual pitch, following decades of struggles in the real-life sport.

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has announced plans to form its own national eSports football team, kindling hopes for players like Zhao.

"If I could join the national team I would go all-out in my efforts for the side," the gamer told AFP.

Recent graduate Zhao, 21, reached the final of this year's "eFootball" championship in Tokyo, finishing in second place.

It was China's best international result in the game formerly known as Pro Evolution Soccer, which dominates the football eSports genre along with "EA Sports FC Online".

The CFA says its team will soon compete in eSports events organised by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.

- Not enough money -

Despite being massively popular in China real-life football in the country has long been plagued by match-fixing and corruption.

President Xi Jinping once said he wanted China to host and even win the World Cup.

But the men's national team languish 93rd in FIFA's rankings and failed again to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Football eSports could deliver glory at last.

China is one of the world's biggest gaming markets and its players are some of the best in other eSports games.

But for top players, striving for glory in football video games is far less lucrative than battling for big prize money in fantasy eSports titles such as "League of Legends" or "Dota 2".

The professionalism of virtual football, unlike other eSports, is at an early stage.

"The prize money is too little. It's difficult to make a living playing professionally, full-time," former pro eSports football player Monaco said, asking to use his screen name to avoid online abuse.

Even winning every tournament would only earn a top player about 70,000 RMB ($9,800) annually before taxes, with regular salaries non-existent, he said.

By contrast, top players in more established eSports titles like League of Legends can earn salaries in the seven figures, alongside sponsorship deals.

"Probably only 10 people in all of China can make a living out of playing" football eSports, said Pan Shuyin, manager of the eSports division of Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai.

- Teacher Ding -

Changchun are trying to set themselves apart.

"We are the only football club in the whole Chinese Super League, maybe even the only football club in China, continuously investing in eSports," Pan told AFP.

Other clubs have disbanded their eSports teams or are reluctant to set them up because they are seen as a money-loser.

One reason for the lower exposure and commercial value of football eSports is that "the bar for playing soccer games is higher".

That's because it usually requires knowledge of real-life football, said Pan, whose club aims to attract more young fans through eSports.

While Chinese teams have played football eSports at global tournaments in the past, the country is not on the roster for the upcoming FIFAe World Cup, an "eFootball" tournament in December in Saudi Arabia.

Worldwide, football eSports is becoming a regular fixture.

The ePremier League kicked off in 2018 and eSports -- including football games -- became an official medal event at the last Asian Games held in 2023.

Zhao, nicknamed "Ding" or "Teacher Ding" by the eSports football community, first stumbled upon a football video game in 2018 as a way to unwind between classes and football training.

"If you watch a lot of real-life football matches, or play a lot of real-life football, you will have your own understanding" of how to succeed in eSports, he said.