China Cup can kick off new era

Star-studded Nanning tournament looking like a real game-changer

This year's China Cup is about much more than which country eventually gets its name etched on the trophy.

The four-team tournament, featuring the host, Wales, Uruguay and the Czech Republic, has returned for a second edition, commanding a much higher global profile than before and boasting world-class lineups.

The benefits for both host and guests are potentially huge - on and off the pitch. "For us, this is a huge and important opportunity," said China's coach Marcello Lippi, who is primarily using the tournament as preparation for next year's AFC Asian Cup.

"It's hard, but it's not only about the result. Only when facing stronger teams can we improve."

Last year Chile beat Iceland to claim the title, but the South Americans were without Manchester United star Alexis Sanchez (then with Arsenal), while China's morale-boosting penalty shootout win over Croatia to claim third spot lost some of its luster because Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic and Atletico Madrid's Mario Mandzukic were absent.

However, this year, superstars like Wales' Gareth Bale and Uruguay's Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani have made the long journey from their European bases, helped in no small part by the tournament's switch from January to the FIFA's March international window.

Apart from filling seats at Guangxi Sports Center, the presence of Bale and Suarez gives China a rare chance to test itself against truly elite opposition. In this regard, the China Cup feels like a game-changer.

In a World Cup year, the tournament is also a hugely welcome addition to the calendar for Uruguay, the only team in Nanning this week that will play in Russia this summer.

"Before the World Cup, we don't have much time to prepare," said Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez. "So, every game before the World Cup is important and every game of this tournament is important." Uruguay will take on the Czech Republic in its opening match of the tournament on Friday night.

The two sides last met in the 1997 Confederations Cup in Saudi Arabia, where Uruguay won in the group stages but lost the third-place playoff.

Back then, the Czechs were arguably the superior side, filled with big names such as Pavel Nedved, formerly of Lazio and Juventus, Liverpool's Patrick Berger and Manchester United's Karel Poborsky.

The star trio had helped the Czechs finish runners-up at the 1996 European Championships in England, where they lost the final to Germany. Now the tables have turned significantly. With two of the best forwards in world soccer at his disposal in Suarez and Cavani, Tabarez knows finding the back of the net shouldn't be a problem for his side.

The challenge for Uruguay will be to create momentum before the World Cup but still give each player a chance to stake his claim for the finals.

Atletico in town

It's not only national teams that sense opportunity at the China Cup.

Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin is in town this week, along with the Spanish club's Uruguayan defensive duo of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez.

Atletico has been something of a frontrunner in terms of European clubs venturing into the Chinese market.

The club has opened official accounts on Chinese social media, including Weibo, and now it is looking to establish an office in China to boost its business operations.

Gil Marin said that Atletico remains focused on expanding its influence here while simultaneously contributing to the nation's soccer development - particularly through youth training.

In 2012, Atletico and China agreed a deal to develop young Chinese players at the club's academy in the Spanish capital. Today, there are over 100 Chinese youngsters training at the camp.

"The club is seeking to build our youth training camp here in China and bring our soccer philosophy to the country," said Gil Marin.

"We want to contribute to the Chinese Super League, we want to help develop the new generation of soccer talent to join the Chinese national team and make the country's soccer future look brighter."

Youth training forms a key part of the Medium and Long-Term Plan of Chinese Football Development, which was published by China's National Development and Reform Commission in 2016.

The document envisages that by 2020 there will be 20,000 soccer academies in China, with 30 million elementary and middle school students playing the sport.