China aim to lift the Women's World Cup, says coach Jia Xiuquan

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Jia Xiuquan, head coach of the Chinese women's national soccer team, has revealed that his squad are eying the Women's World Cup title in France next month, adding they are not expected to win the trophy but are daring to dream big.

"Yes, it's me who said our aim was to reach the final of the Women's World Cup, however, we might go even further and win the championship. Yes, I have not changed my mind if you ask me. This the target I set for my squad," said the 56-year-old Jia.

"But my whole team and I have kept a clear mind in the meantime," he insisted. "We know that we are far apart from the world elite women's soccer, and we've been working out we can narrow the gap between the top squads and ourselves."

China head coach Jia Xiuquan has made public his World Cup title ambitions. /VCG Photo

Jia, who took over from Sigurdur Ragnar Eyjolfsson in June last year, previously said that he set the Steel Roses – Asia's fifth-ranked team and the world's 15th – a minimum target of the knockout stage.

"I know it sounds much more reasonable for us to aim at a quarter-final finish, but I don't want my players to focus on such a low target," he said. "I want them first to dream big and then go all out to achieve the highest goal possible."

With China drawn in a group alongside the footballing giants of Germany and Spain, as well as top African side South Africa, it would be a significant achievement for Jia and his squad to meet his high expectations.

Paris Saint-Germain star Wang Shuang is expected to play a vital role in China's World Cup campaign. /VCG Photo

The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, which starts on June 7 in France, is the showpiece event in women's soccer and China will be hoping that a few big results will give them the confidence to build towards a memorable tournament.

Jia, one of the most traveled Chinese soccer coaches in the game, has spent most of his career focusing on men's soccer before earning the opportunity to coach the women's national side.

Building his experience in men's soccer for over 20 years, Jia was nominated as the "Coach of the Year" in 2015 and 2016 for his work at Henan Jianye in the Chinese Super League.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency