Chinese prodigy: David Beckham sees bright future

Football superstar David Beckham said Thursday he sees a ‘bright’ future for the Chinese game despite past corruption scandals and the dismal performance of the national team. Visiting Shanghai as ambassador to the Chinese Super League (CSL), the recently-retired former England captain defended his decision to take up the role, which has been viewed as an ambitious attempt by the football authorities to improve the battered image of the Chinese game.

‘People questioned why I wanted to be involved in something that, like I said, in the past had a bad name or there was corruption involved,’ he told a news conference. ‘For me, the past is the past. I’m only interested in the future and it’s going to be a very bright one.’  The 38-year-old began his new role in Chinese football in March, before retiring.