"?China have continued their pursuit of becoming a footballing super-power by appointing World Cup-winning manager Marcello Lippi as their new national team boss.
The 68-year-old, who guided Italy to the 2006 World Cup title, is more recently known for his time in the Far East managing Guangzhou Evergrande.
The appointment is the latest move by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is a big fan of sports, to see China become one of the World's greats in football, a mission that has failed terribly so far.
The men's national team have qualified for just one World Cup in 2002, but they failed to score a single goal in the tournament in Japan and South Korea.
OFFICIAL: Marcello Lippi has been named China's new manager.
His reported £18m-a-year contract will make him the highest paid in the world. pic.twitter.com/3bnlqVTsvy
Their women's team by contrast are a resounding success having finished as runners-up in the 1999 World Cup.
Lippi replaces Gao Hongbo, who resigned after China's loss to Uzbekistan on 11 October, and the Italian manager is set to be officially unveiled at a press conference in Beijing on 28 October.
He is appointed after impressing for Guangzhou Evergrande, winning the league and couple double in his first season before winning the AFC Champions League in the following season.
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