China, Germany step forward in football cooperation

Cooperation between China and Germany has reached beyond economics and into the football field.

Last November saw China and Germany sign a comprehensive agreement on football cooperation. Since then, bilateral football exchanges have increased significantly.

As an example, Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich, one of the best known football clubs in the world, has signed deals to jointly build football schools in Qingdao and Shenzhen.

Coaches from Bayern Munich are sent to the schools to provide guidance to young Chinese players.

The coach from Bayern Munich trains Chinese young football players. [Photo: China Plus]

"Three German coaches will be regularly sent to China to stay for about one week. They will not only coach the young footballers there, but also guide the Chinese coaches. Our collaboration with universities though is beyond training, but more about setting up some sport majors for general students, such as sports economics and athletic life sciences," said Jochen Sauer, the manager of Bayern Munich's youth academy.

Jochen Sauer said since the program began in November, they have seen a lot of young Chinese talent make its way through the schools.

The coach from Bayern Munich trains Chinese young football players. [Photo: China Plus]

"Chinese youth players are very self-disciplined and active. They are all enthusiastic about the training sessions. But on the other hand, Chinese players still need to improve in football technique, as well as tactics. So along with basic football theories, our coaching team passes along top European football expertise. Some children in China are very talented. Hopefully the training can help them play in the Chinese Super League and even enter the European football stage in the future," said Sauer.

In February 2015, the Chinese government unveiled a broad plan to reform Chinese football amid lingering complaints by football fans in the country about China's poor international performances.

The coach from Bayern Munich trains Chinese young football players. [Photo: China Plus]

Earlier this year, a more detailed operational blueprint for Chinese football development was released by the Chinese Football Association.

"Through these football reform plans we see a promising future for Chinese football. They are very impressive, because they specify goals and timelines. For example, it stipulates that the population of registered young football players should reach one million by 2020, which includes 100,000 female players; and there should be 30,000 primary and middle schools which have a focus on football. We believe all these plans are the right moves for Chinese football, and we hope they can work out," said Martin Hägele, the head of international relations at Bayern Munich.

The goalkeeper coach from Bayern Munich trains Chinese young football players. [Photo: China Plus]

Bayern Munich is also arranging for 10 to 15 players to train in Germany. The German football powerhouse plans to build another football school at its base to help guide more Chinese players.

Bayern Munich is not the only European club that is looking to China for its potential talent. In February of this year, Spanish giant Barcelona launched its own football academy in Hainan.

In Guangdong, Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande have opened an academy in conjunction with Real Madrid. Accommodating 2,000 students, the Evergrande-Real Madrid academy is said to be the world's largest.