Deng Xiaoping’s football feelings： I have a soft spot and have asked China football many times.

　　Deng Xiaoping has a special liking for football all his life. As early as his teenage years in France, he would rather be hungry than save money to watch football matches. In 1924, the 8th Olympic Games was held in Paris. In order to watch the football match, Deng Xiaoping spared no expense to buy tickets. He later recalled: "Five francs is a day’s meal, and when you watch the ball, you sit in the highest position, so you can’t even see the ball clearly." Until his later years, he clearly remembered that the winner of that competition was Uruguay.

　　In the summer of 1974, shortly after Deng Xiaoping’s second comeback, he watched the documentary "The World is at Your Feet" reflecting the 10th World Cup. Chen Jialiang, who was in charge of football in the former State Sports Commission, recalled the situation at that time and said, "He never had a rest during the three-hour screening! He rarely asks me questions, and he doesn’t talk much. Sometimes he makes a brief comment when he sees the fun. " "The world at your feet" seems to be finished in 70 or 80 minutes! However, Xiaoping was obviously not satisfied, and immediately asked:’ What else? Play it again! Play it again!’ So we didn’t rest at all, and immediately showed him the documentaries such as the World Cup Final. "

　　Deng Xiaoping retired at home in his later years, so he had more leisure to watch football matches. Zhang Baozhong, his guard, recalled: "He is famous for his love of football, and he has always loved it. He likes football and other sports. In the 13th World Cup, I can’t remember whether there were 52 or 53 games. He lost every game and watched them all. He watches the games he can watch during the day, and he asks me to record the games he can’t watch at night. And after recording it, he still won’t let me tell him the result. " Deng Xiaoping has always maintained a detached and calm attitude towards the result of the football match. He said: "Look at the ball, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a good level if you score more goals, and it looks good if you don’t score goals." Although we lost, our players worked hard and played well, but the level was not on the same ladder as others, and they played well! "

　　Deng Xiaoping is very concerned about the development of football in China. In 1952, he said, "I hope the national football team will train strictly, lay a good foundation and train a group of excellent coaches and players as soon as possible." On the evening of July 30, 1977, while watching the match between Hongkong Football Team and China Youth Football Team, Deng Xiaoping pointed out to the head of the State Sports Commission at half time: "You can send several referees to study in Germany, and you should train international referees and improve their level." When meeting the athletes after the game, he said: In the future, we should go abroad, learn advanced skills and accumulate experience by playing games, so as to improve the football level in China as soon as possible. In August 1985, he pointed out: "I watched several live broadcasts of the FIFA Koda Cup World Championships under the age of 16, and saw that each team performed very well in terms of technology and sports ethics. They play with great vigor and are the hope of the world football. China also played well. If we want to develop Chinese football, we must start from dolls and teenagers. " After the reform and opening-up, China’s sports went all-round to the world with brilliant achievements, but the development of Chinese football was very slow, and it was too late to rush out of Asia. Faced with this situation, Deng Xiaoping once instructed the central responsible comrades in charge of sports: "We should establish a football special zone." Soon, China’s first "Football Special Zone" was listed in Dalian. Under his impetus, China Football Association sent China Youth Team, "Jianlibao" Youth Team and China Youth Team to study in Brazil to learn the advanced football consciousness and football skills and tactics of Brazil and Germany, the world football powers.This has also objectively promoted the development of Chinese football.

Editor: Liu Haifeng