In the past few months soccer players like Hulk, Tevez and Oscar have left top level clubs to join Chinese teams. This has created a whirlpool of media attention, and the world is slowly starting to show serious consideration to the Chinese super league, especially after the January transfer window.

Spend thrift

The Chinese government wants its country to be a footballing power house. So the companies that own the teams, are keen on splashing cash to buy foreign players. This is also seen as a form of investment to gain favours from the government. Moreover the government regulates the number of international players in a squad making the players extremely expensive to buy.

The criticism

Media outside Asia has always criticised the Chinese league and players that transferred to the league. The media has associated these players with dark traits like narcissism and mechavillsim, because they have been termed “unloyal” to their previous clubs and money driven. Due to media shedding bad light on these players it has created a halo effect, as soccer fans now judge and criticize these players solely on the fact that they are moving to china. This is because the public perceives the players as greedy, who have broken the ethical values of soccer. Furthermore critics have also commented that players moving to china are unambitious, because they perceive china as a graveyard for soccer players. Hence it can be interpreted that according to the public it is solely extrinsic motivation, like money and other benefits that influenced their decision to move from a top division team to a Chinese team.

The other side of the argument

On the one hand, I believe the players that move to china have a proactive personality because they are the ones that want to improve their current situation, have a stable job standing and achieve career success. For example one of the main reason Oscar moved to china was because he was a bench warmer in Chelsea which meant less playing time, and this cost him a spot in the Brazilian national team. Now moving to China can help improve his perform due to lack of competition, which will help him regain his confidence and his spot in the national team. This has been true in the past for players like Renato Augsto and Pauilhno. So it can be concluded that there are intrinsic motives like redemption and self-esteem behind the move to China.

In conclusion I believe that players moving to china are not committing a sin because they are still playing the beautiful game.