Real Madrid Tour Hardly Benefits Chinese Football

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, August 03, 2003

Real Madrid Tour Hardly Benefits Chinese Football

The gap between the Real Madrid and the Dragon Team, must be far wider than the scoreline of a pre-season commercial match suggested. Real Madrid are the biggest winners, reportedly paid as much as 4.5 million euros, equaling the total annual turnover of all the 15 Chinese first division clubs.

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Real Madrid Beat Chinese Dragon Team 4-0

The gap between the Real Madrid and the Dragon Team, must be far wider than the scoreline of a pre-season commercial match suggested.

But every side, except Chinese football, will be satisfied when the nine-time European champions concluded their nine-day China tour in style after entertaining the Chinese select squad 4-0 before a sellout crowd of 65,000.

Real Madrid are the biggest winners, reportedly paid as much as 4.5 million euros, equaling the total annual turnover of all the 15 Chinese first division clubs.

"Chinese football can never be benefited from such a one-sided match because history has already proved that," Dr. Yi Jiandong from the Beijing Sports University said. "We should play against some small clubs first."

From early 1990s, AC Milan, Manchester United and Arsenal all played similar games in China but every time they left China nothing but fan's criticism.

The Dragon Team, which was captained by China captain Li Weifeng, were incomparable to the Spanish giants, which boasted three FIFA Footballers of the Year -- Luis Figo, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane-- and world's most flamboyant star David Beckham.

Li, the team's most famous player, was loaned to English premier league side Everton in 2002, but left Goodison Park for a season with a broken heart after staying on the bench for a whole season.

The Dragon Team were made up by 31 players from four Chinese first division clubs, Beijing, Yunnan, Shenzhen and Shanghai Zhongyuan. Beijing provided their home ground for the match, Yunnan and Shenzhen's title sponsors -- tobacco and beverage producers Hongta and Jianlibao respectively, were major sponsors of Real's China tour, and Zhongyuan paid the visitors travel and accommodations.

The match, which reportedly drew 10 billion fans since it was televised live by the terrestrial national TV, attracted more criticism after the final whistle had sounded.

Critics said that the players were more interested in swapping shirts with the super stars than playing football. After the match, most Chinese players were searching for Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos to take pictures with them.

"They are more like football fans than professional players," a Chinese fan, Li Li, said.

Chinese professional first division league, inaugurated in 1994,proved all but a success because it has always been hit by match fixing and referees taking bribes. And the national side returned from their first ever World Cup Finals humiliated after conceding nine and scoring none.

"We should spend our money on nurturing our young players instead of squandering it in such a commercial game," Li said. "Real Madrid cannot save China's football."

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