Recently, with the confirmation that two overseas players, Hou Yongyong and Wu Shaocong, will return to the Chinese Super League (CSL), it not only faces the "reduction" of an already mediocre overseas contingent but also resets the number of players serving in Europe's mainstream leagues back to "zero."
Strictly speaking, the Norwegian First Division and the Polish Super League can at best be considered third-rate leagues in Europe. However, this is already the pinnacle that domestic players can reach. The remaining players can only wait for opportunities to play in Spain's third and fourth-tier leagues, German community leagues, Belgium's third-tier league, etc.
In response to the difficulties of overseas development, the Football Association is also exploring new ways. For example, the FA Chairman Song Kai once planned to require sponsors to provide overseas subsidies for players and their families, and even emulate Japan's early model of bringing capital to stay abroad (salaries fully borne by advertisers). The age for staying abroad is more inclined to start from teenagers.
Recently, a piece of news has undoubtedly added new possibilities for overseas development. According to the official revelation of the French Ligue 1 team Auxerre Club, the young players from the youth training college cooperated with Shanghai Jinshan Sports Center visited Auxerre recently for a 12-day training and competition. They will compete with Auxerre players of the same age in France, improving their skills. Most importantly, they are preparing in advance for the possibility of joining Auxerre Club later.
Auxerre Football Club, founded in 1905, has a history of 120 years and is one of the well-known teams in French football. It has won honors such as the Ligue 1 championship and the French Cup. After several ups and downs, it returned to Ligue 1, relying on its profound foundation in youth training.
In addition to soft power, hardware facilities are also complete. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Chinese teams such as the fencing team and women's basketball team chose to prepare at the Auxerre training center. Such significant support is naturally directly related to the current Chinese owner of the club, Zhou Yunjie.
Not long ago, in an interview with "L'Équipe," Zhou Yunjie frankly stated his three goals: to lead Auxerre back to the peak of Ligue 1, strengthen ties with the Chinese market, and cultivate Chinese players who can play in the first team.
It is understood that since Auxerre Club signed a cooperation agreement with Shanghai Jinshan Sports Center in 2019, both sides have carried out extensive and in-depth cooperation in youth football training. Through joint construction of youth training academies, organizing international exchange matches, and mutual dispatch of coaches, they have not only improved the football level of Chinese young players but also promoted the exchange and integration of Chinese and French football cultures. The Jinsan U-12 men's football elite team jointly established by both sides has become one of the models for campus football youth training in China.
The cooperation between Auxerre and Shanghai Jinshan Sports Center is an important practice for the internationalization of Chinese football youth training. Through this model, domestic young players not only have the opportunity to come into contact with advanced international youth training concepts but also provide opportunities to participate in international competitions. In the future, both sides will continue to deepen cooperation, further improve the youth training system, and cultivate more outstanding Chinese football talents.
Recalling the Asian powerhouse Japan, which benefited greatly from acquiring the Belgian First Division club Saint-Gilloise, many Japanese players used it as a springboard to stay abroad in Europe. Additionally, Toshihiro Takihana, chairman of the Indonesian Football Association, who holds shares in Oxford United of the English Championship, also undertakes the task of scouting naturalized players and training players for the Indonesian national team. It is believed that in the near future, Chinese players will appear on the Ligue 1 stage.
