Li Tie, a former footballer for Everton, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in China for his involvement in corruption and match-fixing. He confessed to giving out more than £300,000 in bribes to land a job as a coach for the national team.
During the early 2000s, Li played for Everton, initially on loan, then as a permanent member. He also had a stint with Sheffield United but faced challenges due to injuries, including a broken leg sustained while on duty with China in 2004.
Post-retirement, Li transitioned to coaching, leading China’s national team from 2019 to 2021. However, it was later disclosed that he engaged in corrupt activities, including bribe payments and match-fixing to ensure victories for his teams.
In a televised confession, Li Tie admitted, “I paid 3 million yuan (£330,000) in bribes to become coach of the national team,” and acknowledged his role in a match-fixing scandal. He detailed his corrupt practices, stating, “To achieve good performance, I resorted to influencing referees, bribing opposing players and coaches, sometimes through clubs dealing with other clubs.”
Celebrated as one of China’s finest football talents upon joining Everton in August 2002, Li’s journey took a downturn following his injury in 2004, which hampered his career. Despite efforts to recover and continue playing, including a move to Chengdu Blades and a return to Liaoning, his career never fully rebounded.
In November 2022, it emerged that Li Tie was under investigation for “serious violation of laws,” leading to his life sentence for his corrupt actions in football.