The tragedy of Chinese men's football! A Chinese Super League forward scored zero goals throughout the entire season yet became a candidate for the Chinese Golden Ball Award.

The 2002 World Cup marked the high point for Chinese men's football, but as the 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams, China is ironically moving further from qualification. On December 15, Titan Sports released the list of candidates for the 9th Chinese Golden Ball Award, with 15 players shortlisted, including Zhang Yuning, Jiang Guangtai, Wei Shihao, Xie Wenning, and Wu Xi. However, the most surprising inclusion for fans was the Shenzhen New Pengcheng national team player from the Chinese Super LeagueBaihalamubeing selected.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Baihalamu’s nomination for the 2025 Chinese Golden Ball Award is a tragedy for Chinese football! Why? Because a forward in the Chinese Super League who scored zero goals all season was chosen as a candidate—what does that even mean? To put it simply, if a player with zero goals in the league season made it into a 30-player Golden Ball shortlist, fans and media would be furious. Yet Chinese football is so unique. Baihalamu is a hardworking player and plays with great effort, but his stats this season are 18 league matches with zero goals and zero assists, and 19 matches in all competitions with zero goals and zero assists.

The player who has won the Chinese Golden Ball the most times is Wu Lei, who has claimed the award five times—in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024.