Patriot games: Xi Jinping’s dream of Chinese World Cup begins with thousands of footballing toddlers

President Xi Jinping has vowed to make China a world footballing force and is prepared to go to great lengths to do it, sending thousands of toddlers to “football-focused” kindergartens.

China, which has a population of 1.4 billion but has underachieved in football, will kick the kindergartens scheme off this year, state media said.

Xinhua news agency, quoting education ministry officials, said that “each provincial-level region” will have 50 to 200 football-focused kindergartens.

“The pilot programme aims to cultivate interest in football in children and create an atmosphere favourable for football culture to grow,” Xinhua said, citing a ministry directive.

“Various physical activities tailored for kids will be held, during which children are encouraged to run, jump, climb, throw and shoot balls.”

Li Jianli, director of a kindergarten in the Chinese capital, told the Global Times: “We have soccer coaching for kids who are over five and many other kindergartens in Beijing run soccer programmes, too.”

In October, the Chinese Football Association announced plans for 10,000 kindergartens across the country.

Football-fan president Xi has expressed ambitions for China’s Dragons to qualify for, host and win the World Cup.

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So far, China has qualified for the World Cup only once, in 2002, when the team failed to win a point or score a goal.

China languishes at 72nd in the Fifa world rankings, between North Macedonia and El Salvador, and have lost their last three matches on the trot.

The government is dedicating resources to grass roots football, but a study recently revealed how the game was awash at the lower levels with unqualified coaches.