China was a powerhouse through the first six Women's World Cups, reaching the quarterfinals each time and nearly winning the title in 1999, when it lost to the U.S. on penalty kicks.
But after failing to qualify for the last tournament, as well as for the 2012 Olympic Games, China cleaned house, bringing in a new coach in the youthful Hao Wei and a roster full of new players.
Judging from the early results, that rebuilding has been wildly successful — not only is China back in the World Cup quarterfinals, but with an average age of 23.