Editorials

Soccer craze

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-11 07:55

Sports recognize no borders.

Today, advances in communications mean any game can be broadcast live to any part of the globe.

This may partly explain why quite a few Chinese are big soccer fans. The pre-World Cup hype on both TV and in print has been phenomenal.

Related readings:  Soccer fans celebrate ahead of World Cup  Soccer fans get World Cup fever  Cycle soccer hopes World Cup fever will help the sport

More than 30 percent of soccer fans in the country have reportedly adjusted their rest schedules to watch the games, scheduled to be unveiled tonight in Johannesburg.

Knowledge of soccer is definitely something ordinary Chinese can safely brag about. Most of them are quite familiar with the big teams as well as well-known soccer stars.

Be that as it may, the state of Chinese soccer will perhaps be the last thing they would want to talk about. The Chinese national football team has done pretty badly in international competitions. Scandals involving online gambling and match-fixing have besmirched the reputation of Chinese soccer.

Appreciating the dazzling displays of soccer skills and the professionalism of top-level stars during the World Cup is one way to forget the dismal state of Chinese soccer.

Chinese soccer players too should watch the games, not just to study new skills or tactics, but also to learn from the displays of professionalism and devotion to the game.

At least, Chinese soccer fans will certainly hope they do.

(China Daily 06/11/2010 page8)