By Guan Xiaomeng (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-01-21 11:59

Three teenage football wunderkinds scored the goal of their dreams to play in England after winning a football skills contest on TV.

Lord Jones of Birmingham, British Minister of State for Trade and Investment (second left) poses with winners of the "Football Prince" contest Jin Hui (left), Song Yang (second right) and Zhao Zhihao during the press reception to welcome the three to UK for one-year training in Beijing last Friday. [Courtesy of tecent.com]

Jin Hui, 19, Song Yang, 18, and Zhao Zhihao, 17, winners of the "Football Prince" contest sponsored by Hunan TV, will join FA Premier League clubs Everton, Bolton and Champions League club Nottingham Forest respectively for one-year training after the Spring Festival.

"China is the home of ancient football, while the UK is where the modern football comes from. So it can't get better to strengthen our ties with football as a bridge," said Lord Jones of Birmingham, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, at a press reception in Beijing to welcome the three youths to England last Friday.

The football exchange program is one of the activities to mark the official visit by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to China from Friday to Sunday.

The minister extended appreciation to China as a nation good at cementing foreign relations with cultural elements, including sports as a bridge, citing "Ping-pong Diplomacy" that helped normalize the Sino-US relationship during the 1970s.

More than 18,000 young football players participated in the nationwide TV contest which lasted for five months last year, during which former England football stars Paul Jones and Kenny Sansom, and former Chinese player Liu Yue were coaches and judges.

Britain-based media companies Kickworldwide, FremantleMedia and Group M introduced the contest "Football Prince" to China aiming to discover young talent in this growing football-crazed nation.

"We are seeking young talented guys to give them opportunities at the best British clubs,"said Steve Cartwright, director of Kickworldwide.

Hunan TV was chosen to broadcast the show, as it is China's most successful entertainment channel.