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最近，世界上很多人都在看足球世界杯。说到足球，你可能会想到巴西、阿根廷、英国、德国。但是，你会想到中国吗？ 很多人会问：中国有这么多人，为什么足球踢得不好？中国人喜欢足球吗？中国人怎么看自己的国家队？今天，我们一起来聊一聊中国的足球吧！
其实，中国人很喜欢足球。在中国，足球是最受欢迎的运动之一。很多人从小就踢足球。每到世界杯，很多中国球迷都会熬夜。球迷，意思是喜欢看足球比赛的人。熬夜，意思是很晚睡觉，或者不睡觉。
中国有很多足球迷。有的人喜欢阿根廷队，有的人喜欢巴西队，也有很多人喜欢英国的球队。但是有一个有趣的问题：中国人喜欢足球，可是不一定喜欢中国男足，意思是中国男子国家足球队。
为什么呢？因为中国男足的成绩一直不好。 中国男足只参加过一次世界杯，那是在2002年。从那以后，中国队一直没能参加世界杯的比赛。
这些年，中国足球花了很多钱。中国请过外国教练，也买过很多外国球员。大家本来希望中国足球越来越好，但是其实，中国足球的成绩没有更好。
那么，中国男足为什么这么差呢？很多中国人有不同的看法，意思是不同的想法。有的人觉得，中国的小朋友学习太忙，没有太多时间运动。和很多国家相比，中国孩子踢球的机会比较少。
还有人觉得，中国足球的管理有问题。过去几年，中国足球有过很多腐败，一些官员、教练和球员违反法律。这也影响了中国足球的发展。当然，也有人觉得，中国足球的问题没有那么简单。足球是需要很多年发展的运动。好的球员、好的教练、好的比赛，少一个都不行。
中国的网友这样开玩笑：当你觉得生活很难的时候，看看中国足球，你就觉得不难了。意思是，中国的足球队已经是最糟糕的了！
虽然一次又一次失望，但是很多球迷还是希望有一天，中国队能够再次进入世界杯。也许，这就是足球的魅力。魅力，意思是让人喜欢它的原因。
Hello everyone, and welcome back to MaoMi Chinese!
Recently, people all over the world have been watching the FIFA World Cup. When you think of football, you might think of Brazil, Argentina, England or Germany. But do you think of China?Many people ask: China has such a large population, so why isn't the national football team very good? Do Chinese people like football? And what do they think of their own national team? Today let’s talk about football in China!
The truth is, Chinese people really do love football. In China, football is one of the most popular sports. Many people start playing when they're children. Whenever the World Cup comes around, lots of Chinese football fans stay up late to watch the matches. Football fan means someone who enjoys watching football matches. To stay up late means to go to bed very late, or not sleep at all.
There are many football fans in China. Some support Argentina, some support Brazil, and many also support English clubs. But here's an interesting question: Chinese people love football, but that doesn't always mean they love the Chinese men's national team. The Chinese men's national team refers to China's national football team for men.
Why is that?
Because the team hasn't had good results for a long time. In fact, China has only qualified for the FIFA World Cup once, back in 2002. Since then, the team hasn't managed to qualify again.
Over the years, China has spent a lot of money on football. The country has hired foreign coaches and brought in many foreign players. People hoped Chinese football would keep improving, but in reality, the results haven't got any better.
So why is the Chinese men's national team so weak?
Many Chinese people have different opinions. Opinion means what someone thinks. Some people believe that Chinese children spend too much time studying and don't have enough time for sport. Compared with many other countries, Chinese children have fewer opportunities to play football.
Others think the problem is the way Chinese football is managed. Over the past few years, there have been many corruption scandals in Chinese football. Some officials, coaches and players broke the law. This has also affected the development of football in China.
Of course, some people believe the problem is more complicated than that. Football is a sport that takes many years to develop. You need good players, good coaches and a strong league. If even one of these is missing, it's very difficult to succeed.
Chinese internet users often joke like this: "When life feels difficult, just look at Chinese football, and suddenly life doesn't seem so difficult anymore."
In other words, they're joking that the Chinese national team is already the worst!
Even though they've been disappointed again and again, many Chinese fans still hope that one day China will qualify for the World Cup again.
Perhaps that's the magic of football. Magic means the special quality that makes people love it.
Thanks very much for this interesting episode, I’m learning so much with your podcast!
成功不可以买。
成功不可以买。Indeed! An expression (I think) by the great American polymath, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) that is even more true today due to inflation.
我喜欢他！我的猫也喜欢！
Just remember our terrible baseball team in New York, founded in the 1960’s – The New York Mets. They were terrible! But one fabulous year (1969) they somehow best the – I think it was the Baltimore Orioles – in the World Series!
They BEAT them.