# China national under-20 football team

The China national under-20 football team, also known as the China Youth Team (国青队), represents the People's Republic of China in international football competitions in the FIFA U-20 World Cup and the AFC U-20 Asian Cup, as well as any other under-20 international football tournaments. It is governed by the Chinese Football Association (CFA).

## History

In 2017, the under-20 team began playing in the Regionalliga Südwest, a fourth-division German league, as part of an agreement between the two countries. The team would play friendly matches to fill in for the missing 20th club in the league's schedule. During the team's match on 17 November against TSV Schott Mainz, the display of a Tibetan flag led to the team walking off in protest. In the aftermath, all upcoming friendly matches were cancelled.
On 28 September 2018, China U-19 Yellow (B team) was organised as support for the national under-20 football team. Serbian manager Aleksandar Janković was appointed the first head coach of the team

## Honours

* AFC U-20 Asian Cup
    Winners (1): 1985
    Runners-up (3): 1982, 1996, 2004
    Third-places (2): 1966, 2000
* East Asian Games
    Winners (1): 2005
    Third-places (2): 1993, 1997

## Competition history
### FIFA World Youth Championship / FIFA U-20 World Cup record

| Year | Result | Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A |
| 1977 to 1981 | DNE | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1983 | First round | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 1985 | Quarter-finalist | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 1987 to 1995 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997 | First round | 18 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1999 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001 | Last 16 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2003 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005 | Last 16 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 7 |
| 2007 to 2025 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Total | - | - | 18 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 25 | 26 |
* DNE = Did not enter; DNQ = Did not qualify; Pos = Position; P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against.
* Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

### AFC U-19 Championship/AFC U-20 Asian Cup

| Year | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1959 to 1974 | DNP | | | | | | |
| 1975 | Quarterfinals | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
| 1976 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| 1977 | DNP | | | | | | |
| 1978 | Group Stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 1980 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982 | Runners-up | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 1985 | Champions | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 1986 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1988 | Group Stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 1990 to 1994 | DNQ | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996 | Runners-up | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 9 |
| 1998 | Group Stage | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 |
| 2000 | 3rd Place | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| 2002 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 |
| 2004 | Runners-up | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| 2006 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| 2008 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 2010 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 |
| 2012 | Group Stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 2014 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 2016 | Group Stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2018 | Group Stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020 | DNQ and cancelled | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2023 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 2025 | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts |
| Total | | 76 | 31 | 19 | 26 | 109 | 95 |
* DNP : Did not participate
* DNQ : Did not qualify

### Toulon Tournament

* 1979 Toulon Tournament
* 1980 Toulon Tournament
* 1983 Toulon Tournament as Tianjin
* 1998 Toulon Tournament
* 2002 Toulon Tournament
* 2004 Toulon Tournament
* 2006 Toulon Tournament
* 2007 Toulon Tournament
* 2011 Toulon Tournament
* 2014 Toulon Tournament
* 2015 Toulon Tournament
* 2018 Toulon Tournament
* 2019 Toulon Tournament

### Torneo di Viareggio

* 2019 Torneo di Viareggio

## Squad
### Current coaches

| Team manager | Ren Ziqian |
| Head coach | Dejan Đurđević |
| Assistant coach | Wan Houliang Slobodan Ristić |
| Trainer | Dong Xuesheng |
| Goalkeeper coach | Li Leilei |
| Team doctor | Feng Sheyang |

### Current squad

The 23 players below were called up for 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup from 12 February 2025 to 1 March 2025.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Liu Qiwei | (2005-12-21)21 December 2005 (aged 19) | Shandong Taishan |
| 12 | 1GK | Yao Haoyang | (2006-10-28)28 October 2006 (aged 18) | Chongqing Tonglianglong |
| 22 | 1GK | Yuan Jianrui | (2005-02-08)8 February 2005 (aged 20) | Shenzhen 2028 |
| 2 | 2DF | Xu Junchi | (2005-01-09)9 January 2005 (aged 20) | Zhejiang FC |
| 3 | 2DF | He Yiran | (2005-02-17)17 February 2005 (aged 19) | Changchun Yatai |
| 4 | 2DF | Shi Songchen | (2005-12-30)30 December 2005 (aged 19) | Shandong Taishan |
| 5 | 2DF | Peng Xiao | (2005-07-28)28 July 2005 (aged 19) | Shandong Taishan |
| 6 | 2DF | Imran Memet | (2005-05-03)3 May 2005 (aged 19) | Shandong Taishan |
| 19 | 2DF | Qi Qiancheng | (2006-04-25)25 April 2006 (aged 18) | Shandong Taishan |
| 20 | 2DF | Sun Kangbo | (2006-08-19)19 August 2006 (aged 18) | FK Voždovac |
| 23 | 2DF | Álex Yang | (2005-06-03)3 June 2005 (aged 19) | Qingdao West Coast |
| 7 | 3MF | Mao Weijie | (2005-05-28)28 May 2005 (aged 19) | Dalian Yingbo |
| 8 | 3MF | Chen Zeshi | (2005-02-21)21 February 2005 (aged 19) | Shandong Taishan |
| 10 | 3MF | Kuai Jiwen | (2006-02-28)28 February 2006 (aged 18) | Shanghai Port |
| 13 | 3MF | Xiong Jizheng | (2005-05-16)16 May 2005 (aged 19) | Wuhan Three Towns |
| 14 | 3MF | Wang Yifan | (2005-01-11)11 January 2005 (aged 20) | Shanghai Shenhua |
| 15 | 3MF | Wang Haobin | (2006-08-11)11 August 2006 (aged 18) | Shandong Taishan |
| 16 | 3MF | Zhang Zhixiong | (2006-09-17)17 September 2006 (aged 18) | Chongqing Tonglianglong |
| 17 | 3MF | Chen Shihan | (2005-05-11)11 May 2005 (aged 19) | Union Rochefortoise |
| 9 | 3MF | Liu Chengyu | (2006-07-02)2 July 2006 (aged 18) | Shanghai Shenhua |
| 11 | 3MF | Wang Yudong | (2006-11-23)23 November 2006 (aged 18) | Zhejiang FC |
| 18 | 4FW | Zhu Pengyu | (2005-05-09)9 May 2005 (aged 19) | Dalian Yingbo |
| 21 | 4FW | Du Yuezheng | (2005-09-14)14 September 2005 (aged 19) | Marbella FC |

## List of head coaches

Manage records only includes International Country results
| # | Name | Period | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | Win % | Achievements |
| 1 | A Joseph | 1954 - 1955 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 100% | |
| 2 | Nian Weisi | 1966 - 1971 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 21 | 15.83% | 3rd place at the 1966 AFC Youth Championship |
| 3 | Sun Baorong | 1972 – 1973 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 50.00% | |
| 4 | Chen Chengda | 1974 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 50.00% | |
| 5 | Zhang Honggen | 1975 – 1976 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 9 | 33.33% | |
| 6 | Xian Dihong | 1976 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| 7 | Zhang Shixun | 1976 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| 8 | Chen Jiagen | 1977 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| 9 | Zhang Honggen | 1977 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 66.67% | |
| 10 | Chen Jiagen (2nd time) | 1978 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 33.33% | |
| 11 | Zhang Junxiu | 1978 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 16.67% | |
| 12 | Xian Dixiong (2nd time) | 1979 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 13 | Shao Xiankang | 1980 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 25.00% | |
| 14 | Zhang Junxiu (2nd time) | 1980 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 50.00% | |
| 15 | Gao Fengwen | 1981 - 1983 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 17 | 66.67% | Runners-up of the 1982 AFC Youth Championship first round of the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship |
| | Xie Hongjun | 1983 (U-19) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 25.00% | |
| | Li Chuanqi | 1983 (U-18) | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 20.00% | |
| 16 | Zhang Zhicheng | 1984 - 1986 | 32 | 18 | 4 | 10 | 63 | 23 | 56.25% | Champions of the 1985 AFC Youth Championship Quarter final of the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship |
| 17 | Liu Minxin | 1986 - 1988 | 21 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 58 | 20 | 71.43% | |
| 18 | Chen Xirong | 1988 - 1990 | 23 | 12 | 3 | 8 | 53 | 20 | 52.17% | |
| 19 | Zhu Guanghu | 1991 - 1992 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 28.57% | |
| 20 | Zhang Zhicheng (2nd time) | 1993 - 1994 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 50.00% | |
| 21 | Gai Zengchen | 1995 - 1996 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| 22 | Tang Pengju | 1996 - 1997 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 48 | 16 | 78.57% | Runners-up of the 1996 AFC Youth Championship |
| 23 | Zhu Guanghu (2nd time) | 1997 - 1998 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 30 | 27 | 29.17% | First round of the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship |
| 24 | Chen Jingang | 1998 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 25.00% | |
| 25 | Keith Blunt | 1999 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | |
| 26 | Shen Xiangfu | 2000 - 2001 | 27 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 46 | 29 | 48.15% | 3rd place at the 2000 AFC Youth Championship Round of 16 of the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship |
| 27 | Wang Baoshan | 2001 - 2002 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 50.00% | |
| 28 | Jia Xiuquan | 2003 - 2004 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 83.33% | |
| 29 | Yin Tiesheng | 2004 - 2005 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 12 | 50.00% | Runners-up at the 2004 AFC Youth Championship |
| 30 | Eckhard Krautzun | 2005 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 50.00% | Round of 16 of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship |
| | Jia Xiuquan | 2006 (U-21) | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 80.00% | |
| 31 | Jia Xiuquan (2nd time) | 2005 – 2006 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 48 | 19 | 58.82% | |
| 32 | Liu Chunming | 2007 – 2008 | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 53 | 20 | 46.15% | |
| 33 | Su Maozhen | 2009 – 2011 | | | | | | | | |
| 34 | Jan Olde Riekerink | 2011 – 2012 | | | | | | | | |
| 35 | Luis Manuel Blanco | 2012 | | | | | | | | |
| 36 | Li Bing | 2013 - 2014 | | | | | | | | |
| 37 | Zheng Xiong (Caretaker) | 2014 | | | | | | | | |
| 38 | Li Ming | 2015 – 2018 | | | | | | | | |
| 39 | Cheng Yaodong | 2018 – | | | | | | | | |