Late on a mid-November evening in 1991, a 20-metre high Fenghuang (a mythical, phoenix-like creature), trailed by dozens of smaller ones, strode across the pitch at the Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou in front of 60,000 spectators. It was the start of an enduring love affair between China PR and the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
#OnThisDay in 1999, China 🇨🇳 became the first Asian nation — men's or women's — to reach a senior FIFA World Cup final.
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) July 4, 2023
They went on to face United States in the @FIFAWWC final, where they lost 5-4 on penalties after drawing 0-0 in normal time. pic.twitter.com/xlb9Z5fonL
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