From Worst in History to a Lifelong Struggle: The 71-Year Odyssey Begins

On the 8th (local Korean time), China’s Sohu reported an article titled ‘Chinese National Team Coach Criticized Appears’

Sohu reported that “The Chinese national team has placed last in the third stage of the Asian qualifiers for World Cup qualification for the third time since 1998.” The country’s main state-run media were quick to criticize Ivankovic. He stated that his attitude wasn’t at fault; rather, he emphasized that they failed to accomplish their objectives.

In the ninth away game of Group C during the third Asian qualification stage for the 2026 North-American World Cup, China suffered a 0-1 loss against Indonesia at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia on the 5th. This decisive match saw China manage just one significant attempt on goal, highlighting their lack of competitiveness compared to Indonesia. The defeat placed them last in Group C. With Saudi Arabia securing victory over Bahrain and claiming third place with 13 points, China’s prospects of progressing to the World Cup vanished entirely.

During the 45th minute of the first half, China fouled Kambuya as he aggressively entered the box. The referee called for a penalty following an on-field VAR review. Romeni converted the initial shot by directing it towards the right bottom corner away from the goalkeeper’s reach. Consequently, China was unable to recover from this deficit and ultimately lost the match.

For this edition of the FIFA World Cup, the tournament will expand from 32 to 48 participating nations. Nonetheless, China has been unable to progress beyond the Asian qualifiers, thus extending its unfortunate streak of not advancing to the final stages of the World Cup for seven editions running, starting with the 2002 event co-hosted by South Korea and Japan.

Following the conclusion of the game, Ivankovic became the target of significant backlash. The Chinese supporters took issue with each statement he made post-match. Coach Ivankovic remarked, “Congratulations to Indonesia.” He added, “I was aware beforehand that the playing conditions during our visit would be quite poor. Despite this, I am grateful to my team members for putting forth considerable effort.”
Upon these comments being shared publicly, Chinese fans harshly condemned him as “the worst coach ever.” They also expressed strong disapproval through statements like: “Both the players and the coaching staff performed dreadfully,” “Making money has never been easier,” and “He’s easily one of the most incompetent coaches we’ve had in China.”

China’s state-run media got involved as well. They highlighted Ivankovic’s age, stating ‘Ivankovic is 71 years old.’ This prompted some Chinese supporters to add their critique online. Sohu commented that ‘Ivankovic falls significantly short of modern football standards.’ It added that his tactics have remained unchanged for over a decade and do not cater to long-term growth. According to them, at 70 years old, he lacks both stamina and vigor. Experience alone isn’t enough; one needs more than that.”

Nevertheless, numerous coaches over 70 years old can still be found in the football community. Coaches such as Claudio Ranieri from Roma, Jorge Jesus, and Senol Gunes remain actively involved at the helm of various teams across Europe. Beyond management issues, the stagnation within Chinese football must also be acknowledged.

Nevertheless, Ivankovic is anticipated to resign from his position as head coach. According to Sohu, “Ivankovic will now move on. We have not displayed anything significant over the last year, and this should serve as a learning experience for the association.”