The China coach was thanked by the Federation after not having succeeded in qualifying the country for the blow of the world 2026. Dejan Djurdjevic, U19 coach, was responsible for the temporary worker.
The coach of the Chinese football team, Branko Ivankovic, was dismissed after failing to qualify the country for the next World Cup, the Chinese Federation said on Friday. This decision follows a series of disappointments during qualifications for the 2026 World Cup, which will be disputed in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
China had lost 1-0 in early June against Indonesia, a result that sounded the death knell for the hopes of qualifying the national team. She finally finished penultimate in her group in Asia zone, with seven defeats in ten matches.
A bitter failure
Table of Contents
“The Chinese male national team has failed to qualify for the dam phase, the coach’s contract and its staff was automatically terminated, in accordance with the terms provided”The Chinese football federation said on Friday in a statement.
“Branko Ivankovic will no longer direct the selection”she said, while thanking the Croatian, who notably led to Dinamo Zagreb or the Iran team, for his “hard work”. The Serbian coach of the U19 Male Chinese team, Dejan Djurdjevic, is appointed interim national coach, said the federation.
Corruption
The Chinese team is 94th in the FIFA ranking, continuing its fall started in recent years. It has long been the target of mockery on the part of the Chinese, because of its poor results and the multiple corruption affairs that dot the football world. The Asian country and its 1.4 billion inhabitants only qualified for a single World Cup in 2002. An edition in which the team had scored any goal or obtained the slightest point.
Key Data Points and Performance Analysis
to provide a extensive overview of China’s recent football struggles, here’s a table summarizing key data and providing insightful comparisons:
| Metric | Value/Result | Comparison/Insight |
| ————————– | ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- | ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- |
| FIFA Ranking (Current) | 94th | Reflects a decline over recent years, indicating a decrease in competitive performance. |
| 2026 World Cup Qualification | Failed to Qualify | Marked a notable setback, as the team did not even reach the final stage of the qualification process. |
| Matches Played in Qualification | 10 | Provides a sample size to gauge performance and consistency (or lack thereof). |
| Wins | Not specified in text | Further investigation is needed to determine the match results. |
| Losses | 7 | Contributing factor to their failure to qualify. |
| Group Finish | Penultimate | Indicates a poor performance compared to their group competitors.|
| 2002 World Cup Performance | Qualified, Finished Group Stage (No goals, no points) | Highlights the relative lack of improvement in past two decades, when the team didn’t score a single goal or earn any point. |
| Coach Dismissal | Branko Ivankovic (Sacked) | Demonstrates the pressure and expectations placed on the coaching staff after failing to achieve desired results when failing to qualify. |
| Interim Coach | Dejan Djurdjevic (U19 Coach) | Reflects a transitional phase for the team, where the U19 coach will take on the role temporarily. |
FAQ Section: Addressing Common questions
This FAQ section provides direct answers to common questions readers might have about the situation.
Q: why did China’s coach, Branko Ivankovic, get fired?
A: Coach Branko Ivankovic was dismissed due to the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 world Cup. The chinese Football federation cited the disappointing results during the qualification matches as the reason.
Q: What were China’s results in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers?
A: The article states China finished penultimate in their qualification group. They suffered a 1-0 loss to indonesia and recorded seven defeats in ten matches. The exact breakdown of wins is needed.
Q: When was the last time China qualified for the World Cup?
A: China last qualified for the World Cup in 2002.
Q: What is China’s current FIFA ranking?
A: China’s current FIFA ranking is 94th.
Q: Who is the new interim coach of China?
A: Dejan Djurdjevic, the U19 Male Chinese team’s coach, has been appointed as the interim national coach.
Q: What are the implications of this failure for Chinese football?
A: The failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup is a setback for chinese football, which has long been a target of ridicule. It shows a decline in performance and contributes to the perception of a lack of progress, despite the country’s investment in the sport.
Q: Is corruption a problem in chinese football?
A: The article mentions “multiple corruption affairs” as a factor contributing to the team’s reputation.
