Fifa Women’s World Cup: China look to next generation as rebuilding process begins after humiliating exit
- Steel Roses head home despondent as gulf between reigning Asian champions and best in Europe grows by the tournament
- Coach Shui Qingxia insists it was ‘important’ to turn to youth from bench in 6-1 loss to England with eye on future – and Asian Games
It took Shui Qingxia almost 90 minutes to emerge for her post-match media duties, with China’s coach keeping her players in the dressing room long after the final whistle brought a merciful end to a mauling that highlighted how far the nation has fallen from their lofty peak.
For a nation that once ruled the women’s game in Asia and habitually challenged the world’s best, this was a humiliation that ranked along with their 8-2 dismantling by the Netherlands at the Olympic Games in Tokyo barely two years ago.
That loss in part cost Jia Xiujuan his job as head coach and resulted in Shui’s appointment in November 2021, with the common denominator between both of those heavy defeats the presence of Sarina Wiegman.
The Dutch coach was in charge of her native country in Japan and it was Wiegman on the touchline at Hindmarsh Stadium on Tuesday, having switched to working with the English in 2021, guiding them to the Women’s Euro title last year and now preparing for a last 16 meeting with Nigeria on August 7.
