‘Chinese players are not technically skilled and will not compete globally even in 50 years’

Carlos Tevez has launched an astonishing attack on the level of football in China, claiming Chinese players are “not technically skilled” and will not be able to compete globally “even in 50 years”.

The Shanghai Shenhua striker has been in the Chinese Super League since the end of 2016, when he left Boca Juniors and became one of the world’s highest-paid players.

However, his spell in Asia has been anything but a success, playing just 13 times in the league and scoring only three goals, while he has also been publicly criticised by coach Wu Jingui for being too overweight to play.

The latest twist in Tevez’s short time in China has seen him ridicule the standard of the league and the players within it, as he provided a frank assessment of Chinese football.

“Chinese players are not technically skilled,” he told SFR Sport. “They are not good.

“Unlike European or south American players, in China they don’t learn to play football from childhood.

“Football is different here. I think, even in 50 years, China won’t be able to compete.”