It feels like China will give up the next World Cup.
According to the latest report by China Central Broadcasting Corporation (CCTV) on the 21st 'Sohoo, the annual salary of the coach that the Chinese Football Association can offer is very low, with a budget of 1 million to 1.2 million euros (about 1.6 billion to 1.9 billion won). It is said that the salary of the entire coaching staff should be included in this, and that the amount is by no means negotiable'
Currently, China has not officially broken up with head coach Branko Ivankovic. However, Ivankovic is already not working as the head coach of the Chinese national team and is believed to have already left China. The Chinese Football Association decided that it could no longer trust Ivankovic, who showed a disappointing performance in the third qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup, and decided to break up.
China immediately started to find the next coach, but the situation seems very serious. With a budget of up to 1.2 million euros, it is virtually impossible to bring in a coach who is famous in the soccer world. European coaches would want more than their annual salary in Europe to take over in China, but 1.2 million euros is infinitely short.
Looking at the current trend of the global soccer market, it is virtually impossible to recruit an ideal European coach with such a budget. Even relatively young and up-and-coming directors usually earn 5 million euros (about 7.9 billion won) a year. In that respect, the Chinese national team's budget of 1 million to 1.2 million euros is too stingy and not attractive at all.
The media reported that it is almost impossible to attract young and promising European directors with such a very low budget. Finding a European coach at this price is just an unrealistic dream, and second to third-class coaches, let alone first-class coaches, will not look forward to it. If the budget cannot negotiate now, China will also bring in a coach who lacks leadership such as Ivankovic.
If it is not possible to bring in an overseas coach who is active in Europe, China's eyes are only domestic coaches. Sohu Dotcom also said, `It may be better to turn your eyes to a domestic coach than to bring a foreign coach who travels around the world and has ordinary abilities. Korean coaches have natural strengths in cultural and linguistic communication and have a much deeper understanding of the characteristics of Chinese players and the domestic soccer environment,' he said, actively recommending Chinese coaches.
The problem is the skills of Chinese coaches. It is true that figures such as Gao Hongbo, the former coach of the Chinese national team, and Zheng Tzu, the head coach of the Chinese national team mentioned in Sohu, are less evaluated than other Asian coaches. In order to overcome China's poor power, the coach's skills must be good, but China is on the verge of turning to a domestic coach because it has no money.
The Asian qualifying round for the 2030 World Cup will begin soon, but China's hopes are already diminishing.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
