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On Thursday night, China's national men's soccer team suffered a humiliating 7-0 defeat to their arch-rivals, Japan. This devastating loss marked a new low for the soccer-obsessed nation, plagued by corruption scandals and declining performance in recent years. Leading the charge for Japan were players from top European leagues. Liverpool's Wataru Endo and Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma found the net, contributing to the landslide victory at the Saitama Stadium. Monaco's Takumi Minamino also scored twice.
The defeat sparked outrage among Chinese fans on social media. One Weibo user described it as "humiliating," the topic quickly went viral, garnering over 460 million views by the following morning. The loss to Japan was harrowing for Chinese fans due to the intense rivalry between the two countries. Their sporting matchups often reflect historical tensions, including Japan's brutal occupation of China during the first half of the 20th century and ongoing disputes over the Senkaku Islands.
The defeat sparked outrage among Chinese fans on social media. One Weibo user described it as "humiliating," the topic quickly went viral, garnering over 460 million views by the following morning. The loss to Japan was harrowing for Chinese fans due to the intense rivalry between the two countries. Their sporting matchups often reflect historical tensions, including Japan's brutal occupation of China during the first half of the 20th century and ongoing disputes over the Senkaku Islands.
Football: Japan thump China 7-0 to open final-round World Cup qualifiers
Takumi Minamino hit a brace and Junya Ito returned with a goal and two assists as Japan demolished China 7-0 at home to begin their 2026 World Cup final-round Asian qualifiers on Thursday.