Chinese parents shy away from football World Cup dreams

Boys attend a training session at a football club in Beijing.-AFP

Beijing (AFP) - Beijing's dream of making China a football powerhouse depends on millions of children taking up the sport, but even coaches say tradition-minded parents view the game as a wasteful distraction from school.

China's President Xi Jinping, an avowed fan of the game, has declared three goals for the country: to host, qualify, and win a World Cup.