Chinese national team should ditch lottery mentality, head coach warns

Head coach Li Xiaopeng of China looks on during the Group B match against Saudi Arabia of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifier in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, March 24, 2022. (Str/Xinhua)

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- China's national football team will face a worse future if they cannot scrap their "lottery" mentality, head coach Li Xiaopeng has warned.

China's disappointing 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign culminated in a 2-0 loss to Oman on Tuesday, leaving them fifth in Group B with six points from one win, three draws and six losses.

Li, who took over the team from former Everton midfielder Li Tie in December, put down his side's failure to a lack of strength and attitude.

"We simply don't have the strength in every aspect," he said.

"Many people know more than me about the strength of our national team, so I don't need to elaborate on it."

"If we always treat World Cup qualification as something of a lottery with the fantasy to hit the jackpot, our future could be worse," he said.

Li added that he was more concerned that a losing mentality had crept into his team.

"We are becoming resigned to losses. We all seem to acknowledge that we are not good as our rivals. That's more frightening," he added.