Chinese Football Association President Song Kai Issues Open Letter Calling on Former National Team Players: Rooted in Youth Training, Great Potential

On March 24, Chinese Football Association President Song Kai published an open letter, representing the CFA, issuing a call to "former national team players" to devote themselves to youth training. The full text is as follows:
Dear former national team players, football veterans and colleagues:
Hello!
You once wore the national team jersey, fought for Chinese football across the field, and strived for glory. You are the memory and pride of generations of fans, and a precious asset of Chinese football. Currently, Chinese football is in a critical stage of deepening reform and strengthening its foundation. The path to revitalization is complex, but the fundamental solution lies in youth training, and the key force lies in coaches. Representing the Chinese Football Association, I sincerely call on you: Rooted in youth training, great potential!
For Chinese football to truly revitalize, it must return to fundamentals and solidify its foundation. A weak foundation leads to instability. Years of practice repeatedly prove that our gap is not in the senior team, but at the starting point; not in temporary results, but in the long-term system. We have long lagged at the starting line, lagging in enlightenment and basic skills before age 12. Youth training is the root of football, and good coaches are the soul of youth training. Only by placing the best coaches and most professional resources at the grassroots level, in schools, and alongside young players, can we solidify techniques, develop game intelligence, and cultivate character, solving the talent gap problem from its source.
You are national team players, natural idols in children's hearts. Youth football most needs accessible idols and visible role models. Your match experience, technical skills, professional spirit, and national pride are nutrients that no book or video can replace. When you step onto the training field, provide hands-on guidance, and share your personal experiences of passion and perseverance, your inspiration to children, persuasion to parents, and leadership to society are irreplaceable.
We do not oppose you embracing new media and engaging with流量. In the era of全媒体, communication itself is power. I hope you become网红for youth training,流量担当at the grassroots level. Engaging in youth training can also have热度, influence, and social support. Your skill demonstrations, training routines, and mentoring stories can attract more children to love football, more families to support football, and more resources to flow into football.流量used for youth training is positive energy and a significant增量for Chinese football.
Grassroots football lacks not enthusiasm, but professional guidance. Your one demonstration, one open class, or one exchange can ignite the football dreams of a group of children and help elevate the skills of a group of grassroots coaches. The CFA will全力build platforms,完善保障, and畅通渠道, providing舞台, dignity,回报, and荣光for former national team players投身youth training.
Here, I also sincerely倡议: Welcome you to encourage your families and下一代to投身football careers. Your dreams need successors; the spark of Chinese football needs to be passed down through generations. Letting children grow up in a football atmosphere and progress under professional guidance is both family tradition and nurturing talent for the nation. Your言传身教will be the best football启蒙for children.
Dear veterans, revitalizing Chinese football is a长征路and a接力跑. Youth training will not succeed overnight, but persistent effort will yield results. The CFA will坚定不移make youth training its头等大事,坚持technical立身,坚持scientific training,坚持久久为功,坚决摒弃急功近利,全力筑牢the talent根基.
We期待more former national team players to走进youth training一线, leaving experience for the next generation, passing passion to youth, planting hope on the绿茵场. Let us同心同向,脚踏实地, laying a solid foundation for Chinese football, nurturing new talent, and重塑glory!

Chinese Football Association President
Song Kai
March 24, 2026