In China, there are two things that affect the hearts of countless families: one is their children's college entrance examination results, and the other is the performance of the Chinese men's football team. One is related to personal future, the other symbolizes national honor; one continues to create miracles year after year in "thousands of troops crossing the single-plank bridge", while the other is getting deeper and deeper into the quagmire of "repeated defeats".
We can't help but ask: Why can Chinese children get into Tsinghua and Peking University with hard work, but cannot train a men's football team that can reach the World Cup? Is Chinese football really inferior to the college entrance examination?
1. College Entrance Examination: China’s “national sport” and the fairest playing field
Every June, China will usher in a war without gunpowder - the college entrance examination. This exam has been given too much meaning: it is the only way for children from ordinary families to change their destiny, it is the hope of parents for their children to succeed, and it is also an important window for social class mobility.
According to data from the Ministry of Education, the number of applicants for the national college entrance examination in 2024 will reach 13.42 million, and the admission rate will exceed 90%. Although competition is fierce, it is undeniable that the college entrance examination is a relatively fair and transparent system design. It selects talents through standardized examinations, attaches great importance to basic knowledge, logical thinking and test-taking abilities, and has become an important yardstick for measuring students' academic level.
More importantly, there is a complete set of educational system behind the college entrance examination: from primary school to high school, there are layers of progress; there is a complete set of processes such as teacher training, textbook preparation, syllabus, mock exams, and volunteer applications; there is also great attention and resource investment from parents, schools, and society.
It can be said that the college entrance examination is a "systematic project" in which all people participate.
2. Chinese football: a “failed educational experiment”
And what about Chinese football? Since the establishment of the national team in 1951, the Chinese team has only entered the World Cup once in 2002. In the following two decades, it failed to compete in the World Cup many times, and its Asian rankings also fell from the top ten to outside the top ten.
We have a population of 1.4 billion and the largest youth base in the world. In theory, there should be no shortage of football talents. But the reality is: our players have rough skills, weak tactical awareness, poor psychological quality, and the professional league is in chaos. What is even more distressing is that the youth training system is almost paralyzed, there is a lack of grassroots coaches, and campus football is a mere formality.
Many people say: "Chinese football can't compete in the college entrance examination." This sentence sounds like a joke, but it actually tells a cruel fact: We have more methods, patience and system in cultivating a child who can go to Tsinghua and Peking University than cultivating a player who can represent the country in the World Cup.
So the question is: Why can we use one system to send children to the examination room, but we can’t use the same system to send them to the court?
3. Why can’t Chinese football fail the college entrance examination? Five key comparisons
1. Goal-oriented vs. vague goals
The goal of the college entrance examination is very clear: to get into a good university. This goal is clear and measurable, and everyone knows what to do, how to work hard, and when to sprint.
The goals of Chinese football have long been unclear. Some people say "race for the World Cup", some say "cultivate stars", and some say "revitalize the football industry". However, there are almost no strategic plans that are truly implemented, and there is a lack of phased goals, resulting in a lack of direction for the entire system.
2. Institutional guarantee vs. institutional lack
Behind the college entrance examination is a complete set of institutional guarantees: unified teaching materials, standard scoring, supervision mechanisms, information disclosure, accountability for violations... There are people responsible and supervised at every step.
And what about Chinese football? The management of the Football Association is chaotic, clubs are frequently disbanded, youth training resources are unevenly distributed, referee disputes occur frequently, and fake gambling is repeatedly banned. The lack of system has plunged the entire industry into disorder.
3. Long-termism vs. short-term performance
The college entrance examination emphasizes "ten years of hard study", which is a manifestation of long-termism. Even if you are not very talented, as long as you work hard, you can counterattack.
Chinese football, on the other hand, is full of short-term behaviors: coaching changes are like changing clothes, investments are eager for quick success, and player transfers are frequently speculated. Many investors come not for football, but for policy dividends, real estate supporting facilities, and corporate promotion.
This short-sighted behavior has led to no one paying attention to youth training, infrastructure construction has stagnated, and talent training has been seriously interrupted.
4. Educational resources vs football resources
In China, high-quality educational resources are concentrated in cities, but even in rural areas, there are a large number of training institutions, online course platforms, and tutoring materials for children to learn.
In the field of football, real professional training resources are extremely scarce. Most children do not have access to professional coaches, formal venues and scientific training methods. Many schools don't even have a qualified football field.
In other words, we are willing to invest tens of thousands of dollars in tutoring fees for a child’s future, but we are not willing to provide him with a suitable pair of sneakers for his football dream.
5. Social support vs social apathy
If you fail the college entrance examination, your parents will comfort you: "Come again next year!" Your teacher will encourage you: "You are already great."
Once Chinese football fails, what awaits them is often overwhelming criticism, insults, and even personal attacks. Players are under heavy psychological pressure and will be "blocked" by public opinion if they are not careful.
This extremely negative environment also makes many parents reluctant to let their children take the path of professional football.
4. Chinese Football’s “College Entrance Examination Model”: Is it Feasible?
Since the college entrance examination can be successful, can we learn from its experience and build a development path similar to the "college entrance examination system" for Chinese football?
The answer is yes, but we must also clearly realize that physical education is different from cultural education. It requires more practice, physical development, teamwork and psychological construction. But we can draw the following lessons from it:
1. Establish a football grade examination system
With reference to the "stratified examination" concept of the college entrance examination, four-level football grade examinations for elementary school, junior high school, high school, and university were established as the standard for evaluating player growth. This not only helps in selecting talent but also motivates more kids to get involved.
2. Promote the institutionalization of campus football
Incorporate football into compulsory courses in primary and secondary schools, set up special teacher training programs, and equip professional venues and equipment. At the same time, a campus league system was established to form a normalized competition mechanism.
3. Create a “Football College Entrance Examination” admissions pathway
Establish an enrollment program for "students with special talents in football" and set up football scholarship programs in key universities to attract outstanding players into the higher education system and avoid the traditional prejudice of "playing football ruins academic studies".
4. Strengthen the connection between professional echelons and youth training
Establish a complete channel from campus to career, open up the promotion mechanism between the U-series league and the Chinese Super League reserve team and first team, and ensure the continuous upgrading of talents.
5. Strengthen public opinion guidance and psychological support
Change the single evaluation method of athletes and give more tolerance and understanding to losers. At the same time, a psychological counseling mechanism is introduced to help players cope with high-pressure environments.
5. The future of Chinese football: from “cannot play the college entrance examination” to “surpass the college entrance examination”
The problem of Chinese football has never been a simple problem of "not playing well", but a deep-seated educational, institutional and social problem.
If we are willing to treat football with the same attitude as the college entrance examination, are willing to invest resources, time, and energy in building a systematic youth training system, and are willing to give young people an opportunity and space to show their talents, then Chinese football is not hopeless.
It took Japanese football 30 years to grow from an Asian underdog to a World Cup regular; South Korea took 20 years to create a group of world-class players; Germany rebuilt its youth training after a slump and finally won the World Cup.
Behind these successes are inseparable from firm belief, systematic planning and the support of the whole society.
Chinese football does not need genius or miracle, it only needs a normal environment, reasonable system and continuous efforts.
Perhaps one day, when our children can easily cope with the college entrance examination and stand confidently on the green field, the spring of Chinese football will truly come.
Conclusion: Don’t let football lose to the college entrance examination, don’t let your dreams stop at scores
The college entrance examination is an important exam in life, but it should not be the whole life.
Similarly, football is a sport, but it carries the spiritual temperament and cultural confidence of a nation.
The failure of Chinese football is not because the Chinese are not suitable for playing football, but because we did not give those children who wanted to play football a chance.
Let us re-examine the current situation of Chinese football, no longer just ridicule and accusation, but thinking and action.
I hope that one day, we will no longer lament that "Chinese football cannot compete in the college entrance examination", but proudly say: "Our children can not only enter Tsinghua University, but also play in the World Cup."
This is the confidence a powerful country should have.