Xi's soccer diplomacy and his World Cup dreams(1/8)

[Photo/Xinhua]

July 5, 2017

President Xi Jinping, his wife Peng Liyuan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel watch a friendly soccer match between Chinese and German youth teams in Berlin.

[Photo by Wu Zhiyi/China Daily]

June 14, 2017

President Xi Jinping meets with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. China and FIFA vowed to deepen cooperation, as President Xi stressed the goal of gradually raising the level of Chinese soccer.

[Photo/Xinhua]

Oct 23, 2015

President Xi Jinping, accompanied by then-prime minister David Cameron of Britain, visits the City Football Academy in Manchester, Britain.

[Photo from the official Twitter account of Manchester City Football Club]

Oct 23, 2015

Manchester City star Sergio Aguero takes a selfie with Xi and Cameron and posted it on the social network, saying "Thank you for the selfie, President Xi."

[Photo/People.cn]

July 19, 2014

Xi receives a jersey bearing his name from Argentina's then-vice-president Amado Boudou during his visit to the Latin American country in the capital city of Buenos Aires.

[Photo/Xinhua]

March 29, 2014

President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan pose for a group photo with Chinese little soccer players and their German peers from the Wolfsburg club in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2014.

[Photo/Xinhua]

Feb 17, 2012

Xi Jinping, the then-vice-president, receives a Los Angeles Lakers basketball jersey signed by NBA star Kobe Bryant and a LA Galaxy soccer jersey bearing David Beckham's autograph. Beckham and former Lakers' star Earvin 'Magic' Johnson presented the jerseys to Xi when he went to watch an NBA game in LA during a visit to the US.

[Photo/people.cn] Oct 14, 2009

Xi Jinping receives a Bayer Leverkusen soccer shirt while visiting the German pharmaceutical company Bayer in Germany.

Although China is not participating in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, it is likely that it will host the event in the future. At least two of Xi's dreams about World Cup could be realized soon and China is moving toward the third dream since it has unveiled ambitious plans to uplift the soccer level.