Dragon ball: For China's 'Steel Roses' World Cup is only the latest letdown

China’s national team did not blaze through the group stage of the World Cup in France as much as stumble. It scored a single goal in three matches. Its players appeared outmatched on the field and dogged by disputes off it. The team’s star player, Wang Shuang, who plays for Paris St.-Germain in the French professional league, was pointedly reproached by the coach and benched for significant chunks of the team’s first three matches.

The team did manage to advance to the knockout round of 16 nonetheless after a scoreless draw against Spain on Monday, but the greatest cause for celebration