Ma On Shan Recreation Ground :: Hong Kong :: © See-ming Lee
I admit, I'm still shocked by the disastrous last-minutes breakdown of German top team Borussia Dortmund versus a strong-willed, more impassioned and clever winning side, trained by former (and still much-beloved in the city) BVB coach Jürgen Klopp, by the name of Liverpool FC.
As a long-time supporter of the German 'Champion of the Hearts & Minds' (in the eyes of every German football addict, minus the fans of Bayern Munich, of course), I was aghast and nearly speechless when the heart-stopping game ended with a (much-deserved) triumph of the heroic Reds.
Then, on Saturday, I came across an article in venerable South China Morning Post (note: no paywall anymore courtesy of a novel approach by new owner Jack Ma!) that made me realize again that there's hope for fans of the most beautiful game (and eased my pain a bit).
Despite excessive commodification, endemic corruption and other ghastly phenomena in the sphere of contemporary football, grassroots football culture is very much alive - even in far-away corners of the world that wouldn't come to mind first as important breeding grounds for red-hot fan culture.
Enter the PR China.
The author of the above-mentioned Morning Post piece, entitled 'China sets out grand plan to become world’s soccer superpower by 2050', appraises the recently proclaimed and - as always - highly ambitious plans of Chinese sports authorities (clearly following 'orders' by paramount leader Xi Jinping who is said to be enthusiastic about the game) to rule the world of soccer in the not so distant future.
Announced in a document released last Monday by the National Development and Reform Commission, Chinese Football Association, Sports Bureau and Ministry of Education, the overall goal is to make China's football clubs as well as the National Team competitive at the highest level - first on the Asian, later on a global stage.
As they are not completely out of touch with realities on the ground, the bureaucracies involved have decided to start with the national Chinese Super League that is already engaging in an unprecedented buying spree. Later on, the National Team is expected to follow suit and be much more than the laughing stock it still is compared to European or other dominant football nations.
Many long-time observers of contemporary Chinese politics, culture and society (including the field of sports) have pointed out that the Chinese state is rather ingenious in following through with large-scale projects deemed as vital for economic, social or national stability.
In spite of the proven abilities of streamlined bureaucracies to fulfill their leaders' high expectations, the grand goal to establish China as a global superpower in the field of football remains a daunting task (for more facts about Chinese football, see an earlier post).
Despite the many obstacles Chinese football is facing, I'm quite optimistic when it comes to grassroots fan culture. It might not be acknowledged around here but most Chinese fans are very knowledgeable, passionate and faithful.
The diverse fan clubs of major Super League clubs, such as Beijing Guo'an, Shanghai Shenhua or Guangzhou Evergrande, are growing exponentially, the stadiums filling up easily with cheering crowds.
Up to now, physical violence has been mostly and admirably absent in and around big Chinese stadiums, but that doesn't mean verbal abuse is non-existent. Quite the contrary.
Hurling insults at teams other than the one supported or the fan base of opponents is kind of a sport in and for itself and the Chinese are notoriously inventive in naming and shaming imagined or real adversaries.
The so-called 'ultras', above all, are fervent supporters of their chosen teams; they live football as intensively as every hardcore Tifosi, Barça, Liverpool or Dortmund fan.
To get an impression of the sophisticated choreography, the incredible noise, ardent chanting and fierce insults directed at rival teams and fans, have a look at the following videos introducing ultras and the fans of two main Chinese Super League clubs.
And here comes 'The Royal Army' of Beijing Guo'an.
The next one records the spectacular fan choreography, cheering and slanders orchestrated by the backers of Guangzhou FC.
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