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China’s ‘country above all’ attitude comes at a cost for stars Wang Shuang and Zhu Ting ahead of Tokyo 2020
- Fifa Women’s World Cup star expected to return home from Paris Saint-Germain ahead of Olympics
- Volleyball skipper has turned back on wages and silverware for Games
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When China take Italy next week in the Women’s World Cup, all eyes will be on Wang Shuang.
The team’s sole world class footballer, has not delivered in France yet. She did not even start the first game, despite Germany’s coaching staff identifying her as the danger.
Wang scored seven goals and eight assists in 18 games since moving to Paris Saint-Germain but is yet to register a shot at this World Cup.
Coach Jia Xiuquan thinks it might be because of the pressure of being China’s star.
“She carried huge psychological pressure onto the World Cup stage,” he said this week after they awaited their knockout opponent. “I wished she could have performed better.”
There is undoubtedly pressure but is there more to it?
Formerly of the South China Morning Post, Jonathan White has written about sport from China for nearly 15 years, and covered the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the Fifa World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. As well as his writing – on sport and beyond – featuring in global outlets, he also often appears on international television, radio and podcasts.
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