習主席、サッカー中国代表の実力に「確信持てない」

【サンフランシスコＡＦＰ＝時事】中国の習近平国家主席が、同国男子サッカー代表の能力に「確信が持てない」と話している。（写真は男子サッカー中国代表の選手とチームを応援するサポーター）
　中国代表は先日のＷ杯北中米大会アジア２次予選で、タイに２－１で勝利した。しかしタイ政府がＸ（旧ツイッター）に投稿した動画によると、習主席はタイのセーター・タウィーシン首相との非公式対話の中で、珍しく思い付きの発言をした。
　アジア太平洋経済協力（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議のため米サンフランシスコを訪れていた習主席は、明らかに代表の試合結果を初めて耳にした様子で「運が大きく関わっていたのだろう」とコメント。「今のわれわれの代表チームに対しては、彼らのレベルに確信が持てない」と話し、「浮き沈みがある」と続けた。
　習主席は以前からサッカーファンを公言し、いつか中国でＷ杯を開催し、中国代表がＷ杯を制覇するのが夢だと話している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/11/20-16:45）

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said he is not so sure of the abilities of the national men's football team, despite their recent victory over Thailand.
Xi made the rare off-the-cuff remark in an informal conversation with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, according to a video posted Saturday by a Thai government account on X, formerly Twitter.
After evidently hearing for the first time that China had defeated Thailand 2-1 in a recent match, Xi said: I think there was a lot of luck involved.
Because now, about our national team -- I'm not so sure about their level, Xi said ahead of a meeting of APEC leaders in San Francisco.
There are ups and downs, he added.
Xi has previously described himself as a football fan and said he dreams of China hosting and winning a World Cup one day.
But ambitions of developing the men's team into an international powerhouse have not come to fruition.
In September, hosts China fell 0-1 to Syria in a friendly loss mocked by frustrated fans and derided by state media as another embarrassing defeat.
Chinese football has been in the grip of a major anti-corruption campaign that has seen numerous leading figures investigated or charged, including former national coach Li Tie.
The men's national team face a critical few months with the start of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, and the Asian Cup in January-February in Qatar.
The long road to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico began in earnest in Asia on Thursday with 36 teams in action.