In November 2022, Li Tie stepped onto the football field, ready to start training with his players. Suddenly, a girl appeared by his side and whispered, "Coach, someone is looking for you outside." Li Tie frowned slightly and quickly stood up. As he walked out of the stadium, he saw several men and women in uniform. He had heard some rumors, and it seemed they had finally come for him.
Li Tie, born in Liaoning in 1977, came from an ordinary family with limited economic means. His parents could not afford to send him to college, so he entered a sports school instead. At the age of 8, he began practicing football and quickly stood out among many students, joining the Liaoning Youth Team.
Known for his fiery temper, Li Tie often got into fights both on and off the field, even injuring other football players, forcing them to retire. Despite his checkered past, his talent was undeniable, and he frequently played as a key player. As he grew older, he retired from playing and became a coach for the men's national football team.
As his status rose, Li Tie encountered more people and became aware of the many secrets within football. In 2015, while coaching a club in Hebei, facing a Chinese League One match with little hope of promotion, Li Tie promised his dispirited team that if they followed his methods, he would lead them to promotion in the first year, qualification for the AFC Champions League in the second, and a championship win in the third.
The team members exchanged glances, skeptical of Li Tie's claims despite his reputation. However, they had no choice but to train according to his methods. In the last eight games of the season, just as Li Tie had promised, the team swept through their opponents with eight consecutive victories, securing promotion.
That night, Li Tie celebrated at a bar with others, handing out thick envelopes to coaches from other teams. With a smile, he said, "Thank you all for your hard work; these are tokens of appreciation after the game. Let's cooperate more in the future."
After finishing a round of toasts, Li Tie left the bar, his face turning cold. "With all this money spent, it's not just promotion I can bring back; I can even get you the World Cup," he thought, having indeed spent significant sums during the matches, including a high of 14 million yuan in the final game.
This "miracle" streak of eight wins brought Li Tie fame, and he began promoting his "training methods" to various football clubs. Clubs recognized his influence and sought to have their players join the national team.
After being elected head coach of the men's national selection team, Li Tie immediately visited a certain club, saying, "I really believe in the potential of your club's players. They are very talented, but relying solely on talent isn't enough. They need the right training methods. If they can enter the national team, they'll have access to top-notch resources. Train well and strive for good results."
The coach understood the implications and the next day brought a "contract" and 60 million yuan to Li Tie. Four players from the club were then selected for the national team. Since Li Tie started training the men's national team, their performance plummeted, with scores like 0-2 and 0-5 becoming common.
The team members seemed unconcerned and continued training under Li Tie's methods. Fans noticed something amiss and questioned why there were players with "tattoo sleeves" and "earrings" on the team. Repeated doubts and reports led to Li Tie being quietly taken away for investigation.
During the investigation, Li Tie remained calm and composed, showing no signs of guilt. When asked if he had instructed players to play fixed matches, he firmly denied it, stating, "As a former player, I detest match-fixing the most. My achievements are the result of my own efforts. If you don't believe me, investigate thoroughly. I don't know who made these false accusations; I, Li Tie, always act uprightly."
However, the investigators pressed on, asking about a 60 million yuan contract with a certain club. Li Tie showed a momentary panic before regaining his composure, claiming it was for training fees, not just for himself. The investigators exchanged a glance, sensing the complexity of the situation. They produced another document, causing Li Tie's face to pale slightly as he shifted uncomfortably and furrowed his brow, wondering how they knew about that incident.
Feeling flustered, Li Tie's thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open and someone entered. He looked up instinctively, focusing on the person's face. His worries dissipated, and he breathed a sigh of relief, becoming somewhat agitated.
"They're here, my backers...finally here," Li Tie said.
But the person at the door remained silent and was soon escorted away by other investigators. Li Tie's mind exploded with shock, realizing even his backers were under investigation. Overwhelmed by evidence, he admitted to organizing fixed matches and revealed all his backers, but it was too late.
The investigation uncovered not only Li Tie's involvement in match-fixing but also discovered that while earning a high salary of 30 million yuan as the national team coach, he was still receiving wages from a club. Following this lead, the full extent of his activities was exposed.
From 2015 onwards, Li Tie was involved in match-fixing, spending a total of 39.05 million yuan with a club to secure cooperation or passive play from other teams. This victory allowed him to leverage his fame.
Clubs spent considerable sums to gain Li Tie's favor or assistance, especially during his tenure as the national team coach, where he profited over 50.89 million yuan by getting players onto the team.
Between 2015 and 2021, Li Tie received illegal funds totaling 77.64 million yuan. He and a certain club provided illegal funds amounting to 42.05 million yuan, summing up to 120 million yuan.
Li Tie pleaded guilty in court and was sentenced to 20 years in prison after a trial.
As the saying goes, "The dragon-slaying youth eventually becomes the evil dragon," and Li Tie transformed from someone who hated match-fixing to an organizer of it.
After Li Tie's arrest, the chairman of a certain club, Tian Mou, also gave an interview. He admitted that the abilities of the players under his name were quite average and unlikely to make it into the national team. However, following that "cooperation," four club members were selected; he was initially shocked, fearing suspicion from others.
He stated, "When I saw the list that day, my face turned red. I knew the capabilities of our players; they couldn't make it, not a single one."
Due to actions by individuals like Li Tie, the men's national football team reached an all-time low, with football becoming the most controversial sport.
This article is based on news reports and court documents, with pseudonyms used for the parties involved; the images (some) are web images unrelated to the case; original article, please do not repost or plagiarize.