President Xi pins high hopes on Chinese soccer

Photo from Xinhua.

Feb 19, 2012

Xi kicked a Gaelic football during a visit to the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association at Croke Park Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

Photo from Xinhua.

Feb 17, 2012

Xi received a jersey signed by David Beckham when watching an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center in Los Angeles during his visit to the United States.

July 4, 2011

Xi expressed his "three wishes" for Chinese football after receiving a football autographed by South Korean star Park Ji-sung during his meeting with Sohn Hak-kyu, South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader.

Xi had three wishes for the Chinese national team: "To qualify for another World Cup, to host a World Cup and to win a World Cup."

Photo from sports.qq.com

October 15, 2009

Xi received a Bayer Leverkusen jersey bearing his name and a 2006 World Cup football as gifts when visiting the Bayer pharmaceutical company during his official visit to Germany.

"The level of Chinese football is relatively low, but there's a huge football fan base and a potential football market in China. After wining so many gold medals in other sports at the Beijing Games, China is determined to make its football go to the top level. But this might take a long time."

Photo from Xinhua

July 15, 2008

Xi received a football signed by the Chinese women's football team at their training base in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province. Xi played football at a stadium while inspecting preparations for the Beijing 2008 Olympic football tournament.