When an American football game ended at the Berlin Olympic Stadium in which Zinedine Zidane headbutted Italian defender¹ Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final last summer, Chinese players Gao Wei and Ding Long sat on the bench longing² for even a look from their coach.

The road to stardom is notoriously tough, but this won't stop these boys from trying to become the "Yao Ming of Olive Ball".

"For a Chinese, this is obviously a big ask - you can't get a second on the pitch, you can't follow training and can't even understand the tactics during the timeout," 19-year-old Ding told Titan Sports. "But to be the first Chinese in the NFL would be huge, I know we've got to go through this before realizing the impossible dream."

The boys, however, didn't expect such an awkward situation a year ago when they were picked up by the NFL to compete in the league's first game in China. Overnight they found themselves in the spotlight³, dreaming of a life of multi-million dollar contracts and Super Bowl glory.

But when the NFL abruptly⁴ postponed⁵ the game, originally scheduled for August 9 between New England Patriots⁶ and Seattle Seahawks in Beijing, everything came crashing down.

"We don't have an interpreter here and we don't have personal coaches like when we were drafted for the China Game, and most importantly, we've lost our goal somewhat," said 21-year-old Gao, who used to be soccer player in Shanghai.

"I realize we are just an NFL tool in terms of opening the Chinese market and we totally feel like outsiders here.

"But it gives me a true idea that what American football is all about, it's a hundred times tougher than we expected. There is no way I can make an NFL team by luck as I need years to become a real footballer."

Gao and Ding, a rugby player from Shandong Province, are kickers for Hertha Berlin where they earn $600 per month. They have yet to be make an appearance for the team, and have spent their days training with their 52 teammates.

"Now, my biggest dream is not to appear for the Patriots or Seahawks, I just want to earn some time in a game for Berlin," said Gao.

"We spend all day watching and learning. We work really hard to catch up with those big guys and try to move like them and even think in their way."

According to Gao, only five per cent of the Euroleague players are able to make it into the 32-team NFL, meaning no more than three on his team will have that chance in the future.

Ding returned to China earlier this month for his University Entrance Examination, while Gao will be with the club till the end of this season.

"I'm calmer now," said Ding. "I've got the patience, and I've got the determination to move further in the sport."

Short of fans

Despite being the undisputed top dog in US sport, NFL is way behind the NBA in terms of popularity in China.

The NFL's relationships with the country dates back to 1986 when Chinese Central Televison (CCTV) first broadcast the Super Bowl. But since then, the league hasn't taken any major steps forward and has struggled to build any sort of following.

A group of Chinese students are seen playing American football in Beijing. Despite the postponment of the National Football League's (NFL) China Games, the sport is popular among Chinese middle school students as over 30 teams from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have joined the Flag Football league. Zhang Hao

Some say Chinese don't appreciate the severe body contact, stop-start nature of the play and the myriad⁷ of regulations. The expensive equipment is also a turn-off for prospective⁸ players.

"I am not an NFL fan because I don't understand the rules," said Yao Ming. "The game is so long and coaches always call time-outs, that's exhausting."

In contrast, the NBA has done a better job in promoting its sport in China. A total of 51 local telecasters provide coverage⁹ and 316 games were televised on TV and websites during the 2006-2007 season with the audience reaching 347 million.

According to stats from the General Administration of Sports, basketball is already China's No 1 sport among teenagers and there are 300 million people playing basketball around the country.

This isn't to say the NFL isn't trying.

In 2003, they introduced Flag Football, its core non-contact grassroots programme for boys and girls at school age. The American Flag Football League (AFFL) has launched three leagues in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou over the past two years, with 30 teams competing in each.

"From our perspective, the most important thing for us is to be able to build the game of football in China," said NFL Commissioner¹⁰ Roger Goodell. "We will have some more programs on TV to help promote our game and help give people a better understanding of the game. With the broadcast coverage and our flag football we've been playing over there for the last three years, we are starting to bring along a great deal of attention and focus on the popularity of our game."