EX-Everton star jailed for 20 YEARS in China after accepting over £12M in bribes

Former Everton midfielder Li Tie has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on corruption charges, according to Chinese state media.

The 47-year-old, who played for his country in their only World Cup appearance in 2002, admitted both giving and receiving bribes and fixing matches between 2015 and 2021.

The verdict comes amid a crackdown on corruption in sports in China, with more than a dozen coaches and players under investigation.

After hanging up his boots in 2011, Li moved into coaching and began his first management role at Hebei China Fortune in 2015.

He would later go on to serve as head coach of the country's senior national team, initially replacing Marcello Lippi as caretaker before being given the role on a permanent basis.

The court said Li had accepted bribes worth more than $16 million (£12.7 million) between 2015 and 2021, when his stint as China manager ended.

The bribes were allegedly given so that Li could favor certain players for selection and determine the outcome of matches.

In a documentary aired on state media channel CCTV earlier this year, Li apologized for his role in the scandal.

“I'm very sorry,” he said. “I should have kept my head on the ground and followed the right path.”

“There were certain things that were common in football at the time.”

The news comes after former Chinese Football Association boss Chen Xuyuan was sentenced to life in prison after taking bribes.

After starting his career in his native country with Liaoning, Li secured a move to the Premier League with Everton after impressing as China reached the 2022 World Cup final.

In his first season he made 33 appearances in all competitions as Everton finished seventh in the top flight under David Moyes.

The move would later be made permanent, but a series of injuries limited his involvement in subsequent campaigns and he joined Sheffield United upon the expiry of his contract in 2006.

However, Li continued to be plagued by injuries and he left the Blades after just one competitive appearance, returning to China in 2008.