Editing China national football team (section)

=== Asian underdogs (1980–2009) ===
The [[Football at the 1974 Asian Games|1974 Asian Games]] reintroduced the team back into international football while the [[1976 AFC Asian Cup]] saw them came third.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/76asch.html|title=Asian Nations Cup 1976|date=19 January 2007|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=20 September 2016|archive-date=30 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530141820/http://rsssf.com/tables/76asch.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Asian Cup 1984, match Saudi Arabia and China.jpg|thumb|Chinese players in a match against Saudi Arabia at the [[1984 AFC Asian Cup]]]]
In 1980, China participated in the [[1982 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)|1982 FIFA World Cup qualifiers]] for a berth in the [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982 World Cup]], but they lost a play-off game against [[New Zealand men's national football team|New Zealand]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/03/ninety-minutes-from-glory-chinas-1982-world-cup-qualifying-campaign/|title=Ninety minutes from glory: China's 1982 World Cup qualifying campaign – Wild East Football|website=wildeastfootball.net|date=14 March 2017|language=en-GB|access-date=3 December 2017|archive-date=4 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204171121/https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/03/ninety-minutes-from-glory-chinas-1982-world-cup-qualifying-campaign/|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers]] for the [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 World Cup]], China faced [[Hong Kong national football team|Hong Kong]] at home in the final match of the first qualifying round on 19 May 1985 where China only needed a draw to advance. However, Hong Kong produced a [[1985 China v Hong Kong football match|2–1 upset]] win which resulted in riots inside and outside the stadium in Beijing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/10/5-19-incident-chinas-doomed-attempt-qualify-mexico86/|title=The 5.19 incident: China's doomed attempt to qualify for Mexico'86 – Wild East Football|website=wildeastfootball.net|date=11 October 2017|language=en-GB|access-date=3 December 2017|archive-date=4 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204172630/https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/10/5-19-incident-chinas-doomed-attempt-qualify-mexico86/|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[1990 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers]], China again reached the final round. They just missed out on qualifying as they conceded two goals in the final three minutes against [[Qatar national football team|Qatar]] in their final group match.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/12/black-three-minutes-deny-china-place-italia90/|title=The black three minutes which denied China a place at Italia'90 – Wild East Football|newspaper=Wild East Football|date=16 December 2017|language=en-GB|access-date=31 December 2017|archive-date=12 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812054625/https://wildeastfootball.net/2017/12/black-three-minutes-deny-china-place-italia90/|url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers]] – when they were led by their first-ever foreign manager, [[Klaus Schlappner|Klaus Schlapner]] – China failed to reach the final round of qualifying, coming second behind [[Iraq national football team|Iraq]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wildeastfootball.net/2018/01/klaus-schlappner-china-manager/|title=Klaus Schlappner: China manager – Wild East Football|website=wildeastfootball.net|date=16 January 2018|language=en-GB|access-date=9 June 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143610/https://wildeastfootball.net/2018/01/klaus-schlappner-china-manager/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1987, the first Chinese footballers moved abroad when future national team player [[Xie Yuxin]] joined [[FC Zwolle]] (Netherlands) and ex-national teamer [[Gu Guangming]] joined [[SV Darmstadt 98]] (Germany). In 1988, national team captain [[Jia Xiuquan]] and striker [[Liu Haiguang]] both joined [[FK Partizan]] (Yugoslavia).<ref name="Foreign">{{cite web|url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/MATERIAL/196576.htm|title=Saga over As Dong Joins Man Utd|date=18 January 2007|publisher=China.org.cn|access-date=5 April 2012|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303201501/http://www.china.org.cn/english/MATERIAL/196576.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2018/2/11/a-foreign-field-jia-xiuquan-and-liu-haiguang-at-partizan|title=A FOREIGN FIELD: JIA XIUQUAN AND LIU HAIGUANG AT PARTIZAN|last=Ross|first=Donald|work=IBWM|access-date=9 June 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140922/http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2018/2/11/a-foreign-field-jia-xiuquan-and-liu-haiguang-at-partizan|url-status=live}}</ref>

After failing to reach the [[1998 FIFA World Cup]], China appointed Serbian manager [[Bora Milutinović]] as coach of the national team, and China saw its fortune increased. The country managed to take fourth-place finish in the [[2000 AFC Asian Cup]] where the Chinese side performed well, and only fell to heavyweights Japan and South Korea by one goal margin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cctv.com/sports/teyue/view1047.html|title=再次申办亚洲杯——中国明白了|date=2000-09-10|publisher=CCTV.com|language=zh|access-date=10 November 2020|archive-date=5 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805151901/https://www.cctv.com/sports/teyue/view1047.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The good performance in Lebanon boosted the confidence of Chinese side, and in [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers]], China lost only one and drew only one, winning all the remaining games, most notably an important 1–0 win over [[Oman national football team|Oman]], to finally reach the [[2002 FIFA World Cup]], its first and only World Cup up to date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/shuzi-en/en-shuzi/zt/htm/zt2.htm|title=Chinese football team qualifies for 2002 World Cup Finals|date=n.d.|publisher=China.org|access-date=10 November 2020|archive-date=19 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919161301/http://www.china.org.cn/english/shuzi-en/en-shuzi/zt/htm/zt2.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2002 World Cup, China was eliminated after three matches without gaining a single point nor even scoring a goal during their participation in the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/06/china-and-the-world-cup/|title=China and the World Cup|date=2014-06-12|last=Chi|first=Samuel|publisher=The Diplomat|access-date=10 November 2020|archive-date=10 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110165356/https://thediplomat.com/2014/06/china-and-the-world-cup/|url-status=live}}</ref>

China hosted the [[2004 AFC Asian Cup]], ultimately fell 1–3 to Japan in a final match. The match's outcome sparked anger among Chinese supporters, who rioted in response to bad refereeing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/football/08/07/china.japan/|title=Chinese riot after Japan win final|date=Aug 7, 2004|publisher=CNN International|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-06-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628040534/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/football/08/07/china.japan}}</ref> There were an estimated 250&nbsp;million viewers for the match, the largest single-event sports audience in the country's history at that time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Asian Cup final smashes viewing records|url=https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/asian-cup-final-smashes-viewing-records/|publisher=Sports Business|date=2004|access-date=2022-08-11|archive-date=11 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811060040/https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/asian-cup-final-smashes-viewing-records/|url-status=live}}</ref>

After winning the [[2005 East Asian Football Championship]] following a 2–0 win against [[Korea DPR national football team|North Korea]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eastasia05.html|title=East Asian Championship 2005|date=5 April 2007|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=26 April 2019|archive-date=8 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108140149/https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eastasia05.html|url-status=live}}</ref> they started qualification for the [[2007 AFC Asian Cup]]. During this time, the team became the subject of immense criticism and national embarrassment in the media when they had managed to score only one goal, [[Shao Jiayi]]'s penalty kick during injury time, against [[Singapore national football team|Singapore]] at home and only managed a draw with Singapore in the away game. During preparations for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the team spent the weeks leading up to the tournament on a tour of the United States. While the 4–1 loss to the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] was unexpected,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://teamchina.freehostia.com/en/match.php?date=2007-06-02 |title=China National Football Team Database – China PR 1–4 USA |publisher=Teamchina.freehostia.com |date=2 June 2007 |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=10 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310083855/http://teamchina.freehostia.com/en/match.php?date=2007-06-02 |url-status=live }}</ref> a 1–0 loss to [[Major League Soccer]] side [[Real Salt Lake]] which finished bottom of the league in the 2007 season caused serious concern.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/united-states/major-league-soccer/2007/regular-season/ |title=United States Major League Soccer|website=int.soccerway.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907033410/http://uk.soccerway.com/national/united-states/major-league-soccer/2007/regular-season/ |archive-date=7 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.betexplorer.com/soccer/usa/mls-2007/ |title=MLS 2007 : Summary |publisher=Betexplorer.com |access-date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=3 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203053833/http://www.betexplorer.com/soccer/usa/mls-2007/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the team played three group matches, winning against [[Malaysian national football team|Malaysia]], drawing with [[Iranian national football team|Iran]] after leading 2–1, and losing 3–0 to [[Uzbekistan national football team|Uzbekistan]]. After high expectations, China's performance at the tournament drew criticism online which condemned the team's members and even the association. Zhu was later replaced as manager by [[Vladimir Petrović]] after these performances.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-29531620070914|title=China appoints Petrovic as national coach|newspaper=Reuters|date=14 September 2007|access-date=26 April 2019|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426102159/https://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-29531620070914}}</ref> Some commented that China's reliance on foreign managers for the past decade had been an indicator of its poor domestic manager development.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-11/20/content_393311.htm|title=Jobless Haan reflects China's football crisis|date=20 November 2004|publisher=China Dailylast|last=Xiangfeng|first=Chen|access-date=24 November 2007|archive-date=27 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227224525/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-11/20/content_393311.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2008, China failed to qualify for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]], losing against [[Qatar national football team|Qatar]] and [[Iraq national football team|Iraq]] at home. After the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2008 Summer Olympics]], Petrović was sacked as the manager and [[Yin Tiesheng]] was announced as the team's caretaker.