ON THE RISE

XU GENBAO, THE ‘GODFATHER OF SHANGHAI FOOTBALL,’ IS LOOKING TO FULFIL CHINA’S DREAM OF BECOMING A GREAT FOOTBALLING POWER

Xu Genbao, the ‘Godfather of Shanghai football,’ is looking to fulfil China’s dream of becoming a great footballing power

He is known as the “Godfather of Shanghainese football”, is a former player and manager of the Chinese national team, and owns a side in the Spanish league. Now, at the age of 73, the charismatic Xu Genbao is taking on his toughest assignment yet: forming a club from scratch to help China finally become a competitive force in world football.

Some of the biggest names in Chinese football, including international winger Wu Lei, were at the recent launch of the new Chongming Genbao Football Club. Wu was once dubbed “China’s Maradona” by Xu, the man who discovered him and many others now playing in the Chinese Super League (CSL).

“You are always telling me to retire and to be honest, I really want to,”

Xu, sporting his trademark dark glasses, told journalists at the launch at a stately hotel in Shanghai. But Xu looks nowhere near as old as his years — he turns 74 in January — and now is not the time to quit the football scene in China. Because under President Xi Jinping, the government is throwing money at ramping up the quality of Chinese football.

CSL clubs have invested vast amounts of cash in foreign stars such as Shanghai SIPG FC’S €60 million (Dhs261m) Brazilian Oscar and the disappointing Carlos Tevez at Shanghai Shenhua, both reportedly on some of the highest wages in world football.