While China’s national football team may not have qualified for the 2014 Fifa World Cup, or any tournament before or since 2002, the country's ambition to become the next footballing powerhouse is in no way dampened.

A fascinating new photoset has offered an insight into the Guangzhou Evergrande International Football School in the southern province of Guangdong – a sprawling 167-acre sporting campus where its owner hopes to train a generation of formidable young Chinese athletes.

Property tycoon Xi Jiayin is believed to have spent around £115 million on the institution, which is considered to be the largest football academy in the world, where 2,400 students train across 50 pitches.

Having perhaps identified that the school may need some outside help, a squad of Spanish coaches train the children as part of a deal with Real Madrid.

In pictures: Football academy in China Show all 20 1 /20 In pictures: Football academy in China In pictures: Football academy in China China Students play during a match on a practice pitch at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Young Chinese football players walk to training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Young Chinese football players sit together in the campus as they wait to head to training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China A view of some of the 50 pitches at the at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Young Chinese football players eat lunch under caricatures of famous footballers in the canteen at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China A Young Chinese football player eats his lunch on the canteen at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Students wait to kick during training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China A Chinese coach shouts to players as young students wait to be subbed in during a training match at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China A young Chinese football player leaps up to head the ball during training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Football players take part in band practice after training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Football players stretch during training at the Evergrande International Football School on June 13, 2014 near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China A Chinese student heads the ball during training on the main pitch at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Children exercise on pull-up bars at the Evergrande International Football School on June 12, 2014 near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Football players watch others training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Football players help an injured player off the field during training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Young Chinese football players line-up to have their fingernails checked for cleanliness before training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Children drink water from a communal tap after training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China A student balances the ball on his nose as he walks to a training match at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Young Chineseattend classes after training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province In pictures: Football academy in China China Students wait on line for lunch after training at the Evergrande International Football School near Qingyuan in Guangdong Province