Former Chinese coach for the national men’s soccer team, Li Tie has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on corruption charges, Chinese state media reported on Friday. The 47-year-old Li, who played for Everton in the English Premier League alongside Wayne Rooney, is the most prominent figure to be convicted in a wide-ranging crackdown on corruption within Chinese professional soccer.
This sentencing comes amidst a broader effort by the Chinese government to combat widespread corruption and improve the performance of its national team, despite President Xi Jinping’s ambition to establish China as a global soccer power. Following China’s disappointing elimination from the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, a major investigation into bribery and match-fixing was launched.
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Li was among the first of several soccer officials to be implicated. In March 2024, Chen Xuyuan, the former head of the Chinese Football Association, received a life sentence for corruption. Li’s trial in March revealed accusations of accepting over 50 million yuan (approximately $6.8 million) in bribes between 2019 and 2021, while serving as head coach of the national team and national select team. Prosecutors alleged that in exchange for these bribes, Li favored certain players for national team selection and manipulated match results to benefit specific clubs. The court also heard that Li and his club orchestrated bribes totaling 3 million yuan (approximately $412,800) to secure his appointment as national team coach. Further accusations included match-fixing during his time coaching clubs in Chinese leagues between 2015 and 2019.
In a CCTV documentary aired before his trial, the Chinese Coach Li Tie expressed remorse, stating he deeply regretted his actions. He admitted that while he had previously despised match-fixing, he later saw it as a shortcut to success, a habit that ultimately led to his downfall.
Li’s conviction reflects China’s high conviction rate and the common practice of broadcasting confessions before high-profile trials. Once a celebrated national icon, Li made history in 2002 as one of the first Chinese players in the English Premier League. His time at Everton, alongside notable players like Wayne Rooney and Joseph Yobo, solidified his status as a prominent figure in Chinese soccer. Despite initial hopes that he would lead the national team to the World Cup, his tenure ended in 2022 amidst criticism over the team’s poor performance.
Source: cnn
