A record 48 teams qualified for this year’s World Cup, but not China. In fact, the country's most prominent representative is Ma Ning, a referee. So why, despite lavish spending and a leader who's reportedly a fan of the sport, is China so bad at football?
Guests and hosts:
Topics:
Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.
Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.
For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.
","author_name":"The Economist"}