Former Dalian Wanda coach Chi Shangbin died on Saturday at the age of 71, Chinese media reported.
The ex-international midfielder was instrumental in turning Dalian into the leading team in China during the 1990s, winning back-to-back league titles in 1996 and 1997.
During that run of success Dalian embarked on a 55-game unbeaten streak that remains a Chinese record.
Chi stood down at Dalian after the 1997 success and went on to serve as an assistant coach to Bora Milutinovic when China made their first - and so far only - appearance at the World Cup in 2002.
(Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
