China appoints 2006 World Cup winner Lippi as new manager

Marcello Lippi is back in China.

The former Italy coach and World Cup winner was appointed the new boss of the Chinese national team Saturday, a bold move in the country's attempt to climb the football ranks.

Lippi previously managed Guangzhou Evergrande between 2012 and 2014, winning three consecutive Chinese Super League titles during his time in charge.

Predecessor Gao Hongbo resigned from the China post following a 2-0 loss to Uzbekistan in World Cup qualifying. The 2018 tournament looks like a distant dream for the 84th-ranked Chinese, who currently sit at the bottom of Asian qualifying Group A.

But China president Xi Jinping has made it a goal to elevate the level of football in the country, which has a population of 1.35 billion people but a total of one World Cup appearance.

Flush with state money, Chinese Super League teams outspent Premier League clubs by more than $100 million in the January 2016 transfer window.

Now the hope is to grow the game's popularity in the communist state. The Chinese government aims to have a team that can win the World Cup by 2050.