Li Tie, former Everton player and China's national soccer team coach, received a 20-year prison sentence for bribery and match-fixing charges in Wuhan, China.

The charges include accepting bribes totaling 50 million yuan (US$6.8 million) between 2019-2021 while managing the national team. Li manipulated player selections and match outcomes, and additionally fixed games while coaching Chinese league clubs from 2015-2019.

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. His international career included 92 appearances and six goals for China's national team.

In a Chinese 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. There were certain things that at the time were common practices in football. Achieving success through such improper means actually made me increasingly shortsighted and eager for quick results."

This case is part of China's broader crackdown on soccer corruption under President Xi Jinping's initiative to transform China into a soccer superpower. Other notable actions include:

• Life imprisonment of Chen Xuyuan, former head of China's soccer association, for bribery in March 2023
• Lifetime bans for 43 professional players and officials in September 2023
• Five-year suspensions for 17 additional individuals
• Extensive investigation revealing widespread online gambling and match-fixing

Despite significant financial investment in the sport, China's national team continues to struggle, currently ranking last in their World Cup qualifying group.

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