China Football Team Suffer Third Straight Loss, Netizens Mock ‘Famed in History’

Former head coach of China's national football team, Li Tie, was implicated in a case involving nearly 120 million yuan. The image shows Li Tie during his trial (video screenshot).

[People News] On the evening of October 6, Chinese football fans once again witnessed the disappointing performance of the national team. During the 2026 CFA China Team·Chongqing International Football Invitation Tournament held at the Chongqing Longxing Football Stadium, the Chinese team lost 0-1 to Tajikistan, resulting in a record of three consecutive losses in this event. Some mainland netizens sarcastically referred to the national team as 'famed in history,' expressing their profound disappointment after being let down.

This match marked the first time in history that the national team lost to Tajikistan. In the Chongqing invitation tournament, the Chinese men's football team played four matches, achieving a record of 1 win and 3 losses. They secured a 3-0 victory against the Maldives but suffered defeats of 0-3 to New Zealand, 0-5 to Palestine, and 0-1 to Tajikistan—failing to score a single goal while conceding 9.

Wei Shihao received a red card after elbowing an opponent without the ball, resulting in two yellow cards.

At 7:35 PM on October 6, the Chinese men's national football team faced their final opponent, Tajikistan, at the Chongqing Longxing Football Stadium. In the 14th minute, Tajikistan's front line executed a series of passes that created a good shooting opportunity, but Jalilov's shot went wide of the goal. In the 25th minute of the first half, Wei Shihao cut inside and took a long-range shot, which was tipped over by Tajikistan's goalkeeper Yatimov. In the 45th minute, Wei Shihao clashed with Karomatullozoda, and both received yellow cards. At halftime, the score remained 0-0.

In the second half, Khamonov from Tajikistan scored with a follow-up shot, giving his team a 1-0 lead. In the 59th minute, Wei Shihao raised his elbow and struck an opponent while off the ball, prompting the referee to issue him a second yellow card, resulting in a red card and his expulsion from the match. Consequently, the Chinese team had to continue the game with only 10 players and ultimately could not equalize.

This red card quickly became a hot topic in post-match discussions. The issue sparked rapid debates among media professionals and netizens, with many stating that the Chinese men's football team not only lost the match but also lost face.

Some netizens pointed out that the national team was already at a disadvantage, and with captain Wei Shihao receiving a red card at such a critical moment, it made it even harder for the team to level the score.

Football analysts also criticized the action as unnecessary, arguing that playing with one less player exacerbated an already challenging situation.

In the discussions, some questioned his decision-making at a time when the team needed to maintain composure, while others extended the critique to the coaching staff's management of player discipline and emotional control on the field.

This defeat also resulted in the national team setting an embarrassing record—previously, they had been unbeaten against Tajikistan, but this match marked their first loss to the opponent.

In terms of statistics, Tajikistan had a possession rate of 31% compared to 69%, with shots totaling 4 to 10, and shots on target at 3 to 4. Tajikistan is ranked around 100th in the world, while the Chinese team had a historical record of 4 wins and 2 draws against them, making this their first loss.

In this invitational tournament, the Maldives, Palestine, and Tajikistan all ranked below the Chinese team, which could have improved their ranking. However, the Chinese team not only failed to earn enough points but also saw their real-time ranking drop to 95th place.

On mainland social media platforms (such as Weibo, Tieba, Douyin, and Hupu), whenever the national football team loses to a team previously regarded as weak, it sparks a massive wave of sharp criticism, and meme creators quickly enter a frenzy of creativity.

Many netizens mockingly remarked: "This indicates that the Chinese men's football team has reached a point of no return; they are willing to lose to anyone!" "The skills of the national football players are indeed lacking; their losses, no matter how severe, are no longer surprising!" "In any competition, only the first and last places are remembered; the first place is too exhausting, while the national team is making history by finishing last." "The national team performs consistently, which means consistently losing and consistently declining." "Is there still room for the national team to decline?" "Not every team is called 'especially good at losing'..."

Many netizens also crafted impressive sarcastic comments and strong critiques.

For instance, some netizens eagerly compiled a list of countries that the national team has lost to for the first time in history: "Following Vietnam and Syria, Tajikistan has also achieved its first victory in history against the national team. The national team is truly a charity organization for Asian football, dedicated to boosting the confidence of weaker teams."

One netizen humorously noted: "Tajikistan has a national population of just over ten million, and most of the country consists of high mountains and plateaus (Pamir Plateau); selecting a player is like catching sheep on a mountain, yet playing against the national team feels like facing Barcelona."

"There are really not many weak teams left for the national team to face; in the future, watching the national team play will require preparing a world map, specifically to familiarize ourselves with those countries we've never even heard of before."

Tajikistan players may play football in hopes of changing their destinies, while this group of privileged young men in the national team plays to buy luxury homes and sea cucumbers for nourishment.

The commonality between the national team and sea cucumbers is that they both appear prickly on the outside but are actually quite soft inside.

The classic 'Fan Zhiyi prophecy' has gone viral once again: 'If we keep losing like this, we will end up losing to Vietnam... we will have no face left!' Netizens chimed in: 'Vietnam has already lost; now we are losing to Tajikistan. Should we expect to lose to the Vatican and Antarctic penguins next?'

One netizen analyzed the match footage: 'When the ball comes over, the players' first instinct is not to fight for it, but to kick it to their teammates as if it were a hot potato. This isn't playing football; it's a collective game of dodgeball.'

In light of the distorted technical actions on the field, the dismal ball possession rate, and even receiving red cards due to emotional outbursts, netizens harshly criticized: 'Their skills resemble those of amateurs, while their tempers are like those of world superstars; their tempers far exceed their skills.'

'No temper for mistakes, but plenty of temper for fouls.'

'With 1.4 billion people, we can't find 11 who can play football. I suggest we simply recruit 11 fast runners from across China; at least they would have the right attitude, be willing to fight and run, and not just stroll around the field.'

Many long-time fans have transitioned from initial anger to extreme numbness and humor: 'When watching the national team play, don't bring heart medication; just treat it like a comedy film, and your mood will improve significantly.'

For mainland netizens, the national football team's defeat to Tajikistan has gone beyond just a sports competition; it has transformed into a 'collective emotional outlet' and a 'black humor creative contest' that engages the entire nation. Through these biting jokes, the public articulates their profound discontent with the bureaucratic nature of sports in China, the obsession with quick results, and the players' lack of professionalism.△