WEIFANG, East China, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Sergio Felipe Soares, head coach of Sao Paulo F.C., said that cultivating interest among the kids is key to enhancing the standard of soccer.
"You must help the kids become interested in football at a very young age, and let them get involved in the sport and be a part of the sport," Soares said when asked about his advice on Chinese soccer.
He also noted that recruiting more top foreign players and coaches to the Chinese league is a good way to improve its level.
Sao Paulo F.C. stunned Shandong Luneng U-18 team 4-0 on Sunday to win the Weifang Cup title.
The 40-year-old Soares said it was a rewarding triumph. "We took every minute very seriously from the day we came here and on the pitch," he said.
Eleven teams from eight countries and regions participated in the 2013 Weifang Cup tournament which kicked off on July 28 and ended on Aug. 4.
Botafogo finished the third place in the invitational event held in east China's Shandong Province, while Chinese U-18 team came 8th, their worst performance in the history of Weifang Cup.