China PR U17

Training takes place at the Xianghe National Football Training Base. The team’s career is measured in silverware, not longevity. First, in 1992, they defended home soil to win the AFC U-16 Championship, rescuing a point in the final against Qatar after a tense penalty shootout. That victory established them as a dominant force in Asia. Then, twelve years later, the momentum returned. In 2004, they clinched the AFC U-17 Championship with a solitary goal from Wang Weilong, a decisive strike against North Korea that cemented their status.

They have kept knocking on the door ever since. The 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia proved they are still dangerous. They pushed Japan to the limit, taking the game to extra time before falling 2-3 in the final. To lose so narrowly to the continent’s best is a testament to how far they have come since those early days in 1985 when they first stepped onto the world stage.

The ultimate reward is the senior team. The path from Xianghe to the first XI is paved with talent. Wu Lei stands as a towering figure, a graduate who went on to become China’s all-time top scorer with 36 goals and tested himself at RCD Espanyol. His success proved that the system works. More recently, Zhang Yuning has emerged as the new standard, captaining the national side after spells in Europe with Vitesse and West Bromwich Albion. These players are the proof of concept.

The colours remain red and yellow. They are simple, traditional, and instantly recognisable. There is no need for complex branding when the results speak for themselves. The team wears them with pride, knowing that every match is another chance to add to the legacy started in the mid-1980s. They do not play for the camera; they play for the badge and for the chance to see one of their own make history.