2134/37642 Kaixiao Jiang Kaixiao Jiang Alan Bairner Alan Bairner Paolo Rossi and the origins of football fandom in China Loughborough University 2019 untagged Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified 2019-04-25 10:36:44 Journal contribution https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Paolo_Rossi_and_the_origins_of_football_fandom_in_China/9619112 Chinese football fans’ interest in other nations’ football teams was formed earlier than their support for the Chinese national football team and local football clubs. In 1978, Argentina hosted the 11th World Cup Finals, and the match for third place between Italy and Brazil as well as the final between Argentina and the Netherlands were the starting point for Chinese people beginning to watch football games on television.