Chinese fans outraged as Japanese goalkeeper dismisses Li Hao, coach makes shocking statement.

Chinese media erupted after Li Hao missed out on the "Best Goalkeeper" award at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship to Ruki Araki of Japan. The Chinese coach made a shocking statement, publicly criticizing the AFC's unfairness after his player's impressive clean sheet streak.

A cruel ending for "The Wall" after 492 minutes without scoring a goal.

Ahead of the final, Li Hao was considered the top contender for the Best Goalkeeper award. The 2004-born goalkeeper had set an unprecedented record by maintaining a 492-minute clean sheet, helping the Chinese U23 team advance to the final with a perfect clean sheet record. However, that impressive run of form crumbled within the first 20 minutes at the King Abdullah Stadium.

In the 12th minute, a deflected ball off a defender left Li Hao completely helpless, ending his clean sheet streak. The nightmare continued in the 20th minute with a daring long-range shot, followed by two more goals in the second half, sealing a bitter 0-4 defeat. From the position of an undefeated "hero," Li Hao had to pick the ball out of his net four times in a single match – a cruel outcome that completely overshadowed all his efforts throughout the group stage.

"Golden Glove" and the debate over fairness

Immediately after Rui Araki of the Japanese U23 team was honored as the best goalkeeper, Chinese media outlets unanimously protested. 163 Sports presented compelling statistics: Rui Araki won the Golden Glove with only 8 saves throughout the tournament, while Li Hao led with 33 spectacular saves. Sina Sports commented that the AFC's decision to judge solely based on the number of goals conceded was too simplistic and unfair to goalkeepers facing immense pressure like Li Hao.

Outrage spread as fans pointed out that, while Japan's defense was so strong it allowed Araki to have an easy time, Li Hao was the sole anchor helping China overcome formidable opponents like Australia and Uzbekistan. His successful penalty saves in the quarter-finals and his 100% save rate in the first five matches seemed to have been dismissed simply because of a slip-up against Japan.

Shocking statement from coach Antonio Puche

Not remaining silent, the head coach of the Chinese U23 team, Antonio Puche, held a tumultuous press conference. The Spanish strategist did not hesitate to criticize the organizers' decision: "I think this award is a grave injustice. Li Hao is the one who deserves it. In the final, the Japanese goalkeeper only had to face a few shots on target; he didn't have to do much to win that title."

Puche's statement "added fuel to the fire," receiving enthusiastic support from home fans. Many believe Li Hao's influence is so great that the prestigious Ajax club (Netherlands) has begun to express interest in recruiting him. Although he missed out on the official individual award, in the eyes of the Chinese public, Li Hao remains the best goalkeeper in the continent this year. The controversy over the AFC's selection criteria will certainly continue, leaving a significant blemish after a dramatic season.

Dinh Bac received help from Li Hao, which helped him win the top scorer award at the 2026 U23 Asian Championship. An Lâm21:42:03 24/01/2026The outstanding form and absolute reliability of goalkeeper Li Hao of the Chinese U23 team are indirectly helping striker Dinh Bac maintain his leading position in the race for the top scorer title at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.