To strengthen its national football club, China forces its football player to take military training

News24xx.com - The Chinese football association turned into military training in a last-ditch effort to fulfill President Xi Jinping's goal of making the country the power of great football at the turn of the century. Over the weekend, more than 50 players under the age of 25 were taken to a military base in Shandong Province where they exchanged sportswear with camouflage uniforms and boots.

CCTV state television channels show players - many who regularly star in China's top leagues - receive instructions from military trainers and their heads are shaved. They were also shown sitting in classrooms wearing uniforms as they watched the broadcast of the Chinese national team playing without a goal with India.

According to the CCTV report, the squad will begin new physical training, ideological education and special forces training. In a surprise move, Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced an intensive camp in early October, saying players would be pulled out of their regular club commitments until December 28.

The decision means the top club will lose some of their best players from both the Chinese Super League season and for the CFA Cup final.

News24xx.com/fik/red