Latin Model for a Chinese dream: The Influence of World Champion, Spain, on China’s Football Reform (2015-2025)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20868/mhd.2026.32.5528Keywords:
football, China, Spanish influence, geopolitics, World CupAbstract
The influence of Spain on Chinese football is a multifaceted phenomenon that goes beyond the strictly sporting sphere. The Spanish model, consolidated by its international success—culminating in the conquest of the World Cup and several European Championships—is a benchmark for a country that aspires to become a footballing superpower. China looks to Spain for both a structured grassroots football system to detect and nurture talent from an early age, as well as the transfer of sporting and cultural values—respect, teamwork, discipline, effort, and good governance—that harmonize with central tenets of Chinese culture, such as unity and cooperation. A key differentiating element is the Latin character of Spanish football, expressed in the passion, spontaneity, and playful practice of the sport in streets, playgrounds, and informal spaces, in contrast to a Chinese culture where children's leisure is more structured and subject to academic competitiveness. All in all, the Spanish influence offers China a comprehensive model for football development that combines technique, structure, values, and culture. This model is fundamental for addressing the structural and mental challenges that condition the evolution of football in the Asian country.
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