A 3-1 defeat at Vietnam ended any slim hope they had of reaching the tournament.

The China Sports Administration has also advised players to have any existing tattoos removed.

Li Tie’s permanent appointment follows a turbulent year for Chinese football.

Fabio Cannavaro recently won the Super League with Guangzhou Evergrande.

Former players and state media questioned the credentials of the 2006 World Cup winner and world player of the year, who is yet to claim a major trophy as a coach.

Marcello Lippi ended his reign after China’s humiliating exit from the competition.

Players wore bandages and strapping as Marcello Lippi’s side suffered heavy defeats against Wales and the Czech Republic this week.

The 33-year-old Argentine former international has been a flop since moving this year to Shanghai Shenhua.

The senior national team has long been an embarrassment to the country and are currently ranked down in 77th in the Fifa world rankings.

After an eight-match winless run in the league, Shenzhen have parted ways with the Swedish boss.

“I had to be 100%, and I could not be just 99%,” he told Boca Juniors fans.

The deal has raised concerns with the Professional footballers Union.

12-year-old Brisbane native Stephan White has been invited to train with the China team after helping them earn a 1-0 win in the Asia Cup.

Cable sports network ESPN confirmed that nearly 18 million Americans watched the game.