Bundesliga Dream China concludes after successful three-week camp in Germany
21 April 2025 – The next generation of Chinese footballers seized their chance to shine at training camps hosted by VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach when the China Under-16 squad took part in the second edition of the ‘Bundesliga Dream China’, which wrapped up at the end of last week.
The project – now in its second year – gave the 23-man Chinese squad an unrivalled opportunity to train and play at the elite youth academies of the German clubs, watch Bundesliga matches live in the stadium and meet Bundesliga players, such as Maximilian Arnold and Kevin Paredes from Wolfsburg, as well as Ko Itakura and Shio Fukuda from Mönchengladbach. In addition, a documentary crew followed the squad to create a five-part series for football fans, which will be presented by the Bundesliga’s Chinese broadcast partner Migu, and shared across multiple social media platforms.
‘Bundesliga Dream China’ gives budding Chinese talent a pathway to German football and the opportunity to learn from coaching at the youth academies, while training and playing at top-class facilities. The scheme is part of an initiative by the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga to support the growth of football across the globe.
Borussia Mönchengladbach chief executive Dr. Stefan Stegemann said:”It was wonderful to have the China team with us at Borussia Park. There are some very talented players on the team.
“I hope the young players cherish their talent and keep on working hard. Hopefully we will meet them some day in Borussia again.”
Throughout the visit, the players followed a set training plan, drawn up by the DFL, the Chinese Football Association (CFA), and the participating clubs.
The Chinese youngsters were put through their paces at the academies before playing competitive friendly matches against the host clubs. The China Under-16 squad showcased their potential with a 3-1 victory over a youth team from Wolfsburg before a 1-0 win over U16 of Mönchengladbach.
Following the initial two-week camp, two players – Junhao Zhang and Zimo Shi – were selected for an additional week of integrated training with Wolfsburg U17 team.
Tim Jägeler, Vice Director International Sales & Executive Director VfL Wolfsburg Beijing Ltd said: “It’s fantastic to see the development of Chinese football step-by-step, and that we can be part of it and that we can support them.
“Hopefully, we will see one or two of these young talents from China one day in the Bundesliga. Maybe at our club, which would be awesome for us.”
The first edition of Bundesliga Dream China took place in February and March 2024, where a group of 20 talented U16 players came from China to Germany, spending three weeks training and playing against the respective youth teams of clubs Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfB Stuttgart and Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Following the trip, eight members of the Bundesliga Dream squad were chosen for the China U16 team which qualified for the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup.
Bundesliga International Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer Peer Naubert said: “It was great to see China qualify for the Under-17 Asian Cup, especially as during the process, seven goals and seven assists were contributed by players involved in the Bundesliga Dream project.
“A youth development programme which inspires the next generation is the first key step in our long-term dream of seeing another Chinese star footballer play in the Bundesliga, like Chen Yang and Jiayi Shao.
“Working hand-in-hand with both strong local partners and the Bundesliga clubs, we have cultivated a unique approach, designed to create a pathway for talented young players aspiring to play in Germany’s top tier.”
As a league, the Bundesliga and its clubs have more offices in China than any other European football organisation, reaffirming its commitment to growing the sport by collaborating directly with partners and organisations on the ground. Both Wolfsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach are extremely active in China; Wolfsburg is one of five Bundesliga clubs to have a permanent office there, while Borussia Mönchengladbach runs a year-round football academy in Shanghai.
