China’s coach says future bright after first football medal in 28 years

China's football scene is poised for a bright future after securing their first Asian Games medal in nearly three decades, according to the team's under-23 coach, Antonio Puche. The men's under-23 squad claimed a bronze medal in Nagoya on Saturday, marking a significant milestone for Chinese football. Although the senior team had only qualified for the World Cup once, in 2002, and suffered a 5-0 defeat at home to Palestine earlier in the week, the youth level has shown promising progress.

Following their runner-up finish at the Under-23 Asian Cup in February, the Chinese team advanced to the Asian Games in Japan, where they secured a bronze medal through a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan, which they won on penalties. Antonio Puche expressed optimism about the future of the new generation of Chinese footballers, praising their quality and determination. He emphasized the importance of hard work and pushing these talented players to achieve even greater heights.

Puche's team in Nagoya comprised several players who regularly feature for China's senior national side, benefiting from their experience while also contributing to the youth team's success. The senior team has struggled in the absence of these key players, recently suffering a 3-0 home defeat to New Zealand in a friendly game.

Despite the setback against Palestine, Puche remains confident in coach Shao Jiayi's ability to guide the team towards improvement. He acknowledged the poor performance in the recent match but stressed that the head coach's resilience and capabilities would enable the team to learn from the loss and emerge stronger. China has never won a men's football gold medal at the Asian Games, having only taken home bronze in 1998 in Bangkok.