Shanghai stands as the largest city and commercial hub of China, yet the vibrant metropolis along the Huangpu River has never quite taken the lead in the nation’s football arena. During the 1980s and 1990s, the northern teams of Dalian and Liaoning reigned supreme, and when the financial frenzy began in 2010, it was the southern powerhouse, Guangzhou, that dominated.
However, this season marks a significant shift. With 21 out of 30 matches played in the 2024 Chinese Super League, Shanghai Port leads the standings with 57 points, just two points ahead of rival Shanghai Shenhua. Both teams remain unbeaten, leaving the competition far behind.
Shenhua has often been viewed as the nearly men of Chinese football. The Blues, who claim to be the city’s true club, last celebrated a championship in 1995, finishing second in five of the six subsequent seasons. Their 2003 title was revoked a decade later due to match-fixing, while a heartbreaking miss from Hamilton Ricard on the final day in 2008 cost them the title in a match relocated from their Hongkou Stadium because of a Kylie Minogue concert.
Despite having a fervent support base, this has been their peak, and even with the arrival of stars like Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba, and Carlos Tevez, chaos prevailed. The situation was starkly illustrated by their training facilities, where a modern clubhouse featuring coffee machines and pastries stood alongside classrooms where aspiring players studied amidst broken windows and crumbling infrastructure.
If Shenhua manages to clinch the title this season, Leonid Slutsky will achieve what Howard Wilkinson, Gus Poyet, and Jean Tigana could not. This accomplishment would mark the pinnacle of a career that has seen the 53-year-old lead CSKA Moscow to various titles and manage national teams and Hull City. After losing his television pundit role during the 2018 World Cup for mentioning opposition figure Alexei Navalny live on air, he now has the opportunity to make headlines again.
“He has instilled calmness and adapted well to the team,” remarks Jahanyar Mohebbi, who served as assistant coach at Port last season. Slutsky’s inaugural match was a 1-0 victory against Port in the February Super Cup final. “That remains Port FC’s only loss this season, and it demonstrated that the team is playing a new style of football,” says Mohebbi. “They have enhanced their tactics both offensively and defensively, emphasizing positional play and robust defensive organization. Slutsky deserves significant credit for this change.”
Conversely, Kevin Muscat’s experience with Shanghai Port has been different. As the defending champions, Port has enjoyed sustained success under the Australian, albeit with a change in style. Just three years younger than Slutsky, Muscat already boasts an impressive resume, having led Melbourne Victory to A-League Championships in 2015 and 2018, and succeeded Ange Postecoglou at Yokohama F Marinos in 2021 where he also clinched the title the following year. Despite perceptions of a lateral move, Muscat has seamlessly adapted since arriving in Shanghai at the same time as his Russian counterpart.
“He joined at a time when the team had resolved prior issues and regained hope and confidence,” Mohebbi states. “Muscat was brought in to help Shanghai Port sustain their success and compete both domestically and in the Asian Champions League. Strategic signings allowed Muscat to discover the right balance and develop a robust starting lineup.”
The former Socceroo shares similarities with Postecoglou in his gameplay, focusing on pace and maintaining a high defensive line. Port has secured a record 14 consecutive league victories, scoring 18 goals in their last three games and a total of 72 overall. Wu Lei has been prolific, while Oscar has shone in midfield.
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Oscar’s £60m transfer from Chelsea in 2016 sparked drama from Antonio Conte, who warned that “Chinese football poses a danger for all.” Currently, Oscar is virtually the only significant overseas player remaining in China, with the league’s quality having diminished since its peak. The Shanghai clubs have received better financial support than others, but substantial spending began to wane before the pandemic, and the extensive and strict lockdown had a severe impact.
Football has fallen down the government’s priority list, partly due to a significant downturn in the property sector, as many top-tier clubs are backed by real estate firms. One such firm, Evergrande, with $300bn in debts to address, ceased funding Guangzhou. The once-dominant South China Tigers, who claimed eight league titles from 2011 to 2019, faced relegation in 2022, while Jiangsu FC, the 2020 champions, disbanded shortly afterward.
However, these challenges are of no concern to Muscat, Slutsky, or the fans in Shanghai. The two clubs are just nine matches away from glory, with their upcoming clash on August 17 poised to be a pivotal moment—the most significant Shanghai Derby and the biggest match in Chinese football in years. If both coaches continue to shine, it may remain that way for some time.
