Li Tie, former Everton player and Chinese national team coach, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for bribery and match-fixing by a court in Wuhan, according to Chinese state media.

The prosecution revealed Li accepted over 50 million yuan ($6.8 million) in bribes between 2019 and 2021 while managing the national team. He manipulated player selections and match outcomes, including fixing games for clubs he coached from 2015 to 2019. He also bribed officials to secure his position as national team coach.

As one of only five Chinese players to compete in the English Premier League, Li played as a defensive midfielder for Everton during the 2002-03 season, helping the team finish seventh. He made 92 appearances for China's national team and scored six goals.

In a January state television documentary about soccer corruption, Li expressed remorse: "I'm very sorry. I should have kept my head to the ground and followed the right path. These improper practices became a habit, and eventually, I started to rely on it."

This conviction is part of China's broader crackdown on soccer corruption. In March 2023, Chen Xuyuan, former head of China's soccer association, received a life sentence for accepting bribes. Additionally, 43 professionals were permanently banned, and 17 others received five-year suspensions following a two-year investigation into gambling and match-fixing.

The crackdown comes amid President Xi Jinping's 2015 initiative to transform China into a soccer superpower. Despite significant investment, the national team continues to struggle, currently sitting at the bottom of their World Cup qualifying group. Their recent 7-0 loss to Japan highlighted the ongoing challenges facing Chinese soccer.

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