Li Tie, born on May 18, 1977, is one of the legends in the history of Chinese football. He is a midfielder who has played for several Chinese Super League teams during his career, such as Beijing Guoan, Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai Shenhua. He has also performed well in the Chinese national team, representing China in many international competitions, such as the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers.
Li Tie's career began in 1993 when he joined the Jianlibao youth team and subsequently went to Brazil to study. In Brazil, he trained professionally in football and gradually became a good player. After returning to China, he began to make his mark in Chinese football and joined the Beijing Guoan team in 1998. During his time at Beijing Guoan, he became a key player in the team, helping the team win league titles on several occasions.
In 2002, Li Tie transferred to Guangzhou Evergrande and became the first foreign aid in the team's history. During his time at Guangzhou Evergrande, he helped the team win a number of honours, such as the Chinese Super League title and the AFC Champions League. Subsequently, he joined Shanghai Shenhua, where he spent the final seasons of his career.
In addition to his achievements on the field, Li Tie also served as the head coach of the Chinese national team. He was appointed head coach of the Chinese national football team in January 2020.
Li Tie's confession and the fact that he was investigated reflect the corruption that exists in Chinese football. In recent years, the Chinese government has been stepping up its anti-corruption efforts to combat corruption, including in football. The investigation and scrutiny of Li Tie and others also shows the importance and determination of the Chinese government to the problem of corruption in football.