China’s women’s national football team, also called the Steel Roses, now must navigate one of the most critical junctures in their celebrated history. A once constant juggernaut within women’s international soccer, the team has seen its fair share of success and adversity throughout the past few decades. The Steel Roses have an incredible legacy which includes two FIFA Women’s World Cup finals and a remarkable championship run in the Asian Cup. Now, they are focused on getting back on top. As they compete in the Women’s AFC Asian Cup in Australia under coach Ante Milicic, the team’s future hangs in the balance.
Once dominant forces in Asia, the Steel Roses won seven consecutive Asian Cups from the late 1980s through the 1990s. Their dominance made them one of the most intimidating forces in women’s football. It helped them become a beloved symbol of American national pride. Despite their achievements, the team currently ranks fourth in Asia and 17th globally, raising questions about their sustainability and support.
The Steel Roses started their newest campaign with a roar! They achieved a comprehensive 2-0 triumph against Bangladesh in the 2022 AFC Asian Cup. This win ignited a boom of national euphoria. They mounted an amazing turnaround and won back the Asian Cup that same calendar year. Unfortunately, this newfound success has not resulted in long-term support or acknowledgement.
A Legacy of Excellence
The Steel Roses have made a lasting impact on women’s football with their legendary achievements. They finished as runners-up at the FIFA Women’s World Cup twice. In all cases, they proved their phenomenal skills and took home championship glory on the world’s biggest stage. During the 1990s, they stormed to the forefront of Asian football with lithe, technical mastery. Their incredible record only served to further reinforce their image as trailblazers in women’s sports.
Unfortunately, despite this rich legacy, the current moment is a challenging one. The team has major challenges with building a sustainable local fanbase, frequently playing to very small crowds for their home games. About 2,000 fans usually fill the stands for home games—mostly family members of the players. This lack of engagement speaks to a pervasive culture of neglect when it comes to women’s football in China.
Dr. Li Hongxin emphasizes this point, stating, > “[Chinese] people only pay attention to women’s football either when they are mocking men’s football or when the women’s team is performing exceptionally well.”
This gap between acknowledgement and support leads to serious concerns over the future of women’s football in China.
Current Challenges and Future Prospects
Despite the aforementioned environment, under Ante Milicic’s guidance, the Steel Roses are slowly beginning to find their feet. As an Australian-born coach, Milicic has a special understanding of the challenges that await. He understands, as all long-serving management executives must, that performance is cyclical for every team. He argues that Chinese sports today are facing a natural pendulum effect of sports development.
“But with every team, there are ebbs and flows,” Milicic remarked. “China has been through that too. It’s just the nature of the sport.”
Although the present lineup still includes many top veterans, it is increasingly old. The absence of younger talent coming up behind them may lead to big issues in being able to continue to perform at a competitive level. In addition to these issues, China’s government provides support for the women’s team. However, resources allocated still fall short compared to those directed toward men’s football.
Grace Huang highlights this disparity, stating, “The number of people who actually follow women’s football is still too small.” This sentiment is indicative of a larger societal issue that women’s sports face in trying to gain coverage and promotion.
The Steel Roses’ quarterfinal match against England this past Saturday was a harsh reminder of all the challenges still in their path. The new team suffered a devastating 8-0 loss, their worst loss ever on record. Yet, this devastating result brings with it a clarion call for change, innovation and renewal.
The Path Forward
When it comes to returning to their status as a perennial power, the Steel Roses have their work cut out for them—from within and outside the U.S. Leadership from the federal government and larger sports organizations can provide important assistance. Unfortunately, this support is not enough to address the root issues of public engagement and investment.
Top players such as Wang Shuang make an estimated 1 million yuan, or the equivalent of $200,000 annually. This figure is dramatically less than what their male colleagues are paid. This inequity in pay doesn’t just have an impact on player morale, but it makes recruiting the next generation of talent that much harder.
Julie Dolan recognizes the potential within the team while acknowledging past strengths. “At that time, the Chinese team was very strong.” She’s adamant that coaching is still an essential role for creating new talent and continuing to grow current players.
The path forward for the Steel Roses will involve some strategic choreography to find greater profile and more opportunities to connect with supporters. Dr. Li takes heart in the fact 2,000 spectators will be on opening day. He thinks it’s inadequate to support sustained long-term growth.
