FOOTBALLERS from China pitted their wits against south Wales’s finest young players during a recent sporting trip.

The group of 28 students, support staff and media team were on an eight-day trip hosted by the University of South Wales (USW) and the FAW Trust, to learn more about how football and player development.

Organised by the British Council and the China Federation of University and School Sport, the boys’ and girls’ teams played against local sides from Newport, Swansea, and Cardiff,.

In the last of their matches during the visit, the China Schools teams played against Ponthir AFC Juniors and Villa Dino Juniors FC at The Wales National Football Development Centre at Dragon Park.

The group was hosted by the FAW Trust, which organised a guided tour, study workshops and practical training sessions, before the games at Dragon Park.

“China has a vision to be a world football superpower by hosting and winning the World Cup by 2050,” said Craig Gill, USW’s senior lecturer in Football Coaching & Performance.

“The national football vision in Wales - ‘Take Welsh football to the world; Intensify the power of football at home’ - is very closely aligned to that of China’s, as both countries are preparing for the future to help them build the foundations to be successful.”

“To help support that, the programme included practical coaching and leadership sessions, and workshops and classroom-based seminars which examined the benefits that football can bring to individuals, communities and nations.

“We were delighted to welcome the students to USW, and give them an understanding of the work we are doing here to develop football experts, not just here in Wales, but across the world.

“We hope that this initial project will foster stronger links with China and that future opportunities for player development, coaching conferences and higher education provision can soon be realised.”