China may be struggling to qualify for the World Cup, but that has not stopped it from setting an ambitious goal of becoming a dominant football nation in Asia by 2030, and a global power by 2050. The steps needed to realize this goal have become a big concern for hardcore fans.

The future of Chinese football。

Gao Le was selected this after-class football school since his first year in primary school. After three years of training, it’s clear that he has a natural talent for the sport.

"I like Fabio Cannavaro, he’s a back just like me. I’m good at defending; it’s not easy to pass me. I have steady steps," said Gao.

His proud father, a football fan himself, is hoping for his son to become a professional football player.

"We’ll wait and see his development. If he’s good at football we will for sure let him be a professional player, even if we have to pay for the football school. Otherwise all the hard training may be wasted," Gao said.

According to the latest report from FIFA, over 26 million people in China played football in 2015, and there are now thousands of amateur football clubs and youth teams across the country. However, the performance of the national Chinese football team does not reflect people's enthusiasm. So, what's going wrong?

Stefen Stoica, the club's manager, decided to join a Chinese club last year. He sees football as a rising sport in China. The only drawback? The lack of a proper guide and structure.

His opinion was echoed by the team’s captain, who has seen the ups and downs of the national amateur football league.

"The training concepts, especially for the youth teams, must be updated. Otherwise it’ll be almost impossible to defeat football powers like Japan and Korea. There must be organizers for the games and the sport. It’s too hard for spare-time football players like us to boost the industry single-handedly," said Li Chen, captain of Shanghai Jiading Boo King Football Club.

The National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planner, announced the long-term goal of becoming global football giant in 2050. However, the development of amateur football is still in its infancy. And to promote it, more effort from both the government and the ground is necessary.