Magento 2 Layout update xml not working for categories

Question

I try to use my customized .phtml file for a certain category.

I go in Admin->Catalog->Categories->Design->Layout update xml

I put the following code in the field layout update xml,

   <referenceContainer name="content">
        <referenceBlock name="product_list">
            <action method="setTemplate">
                <argument name="template" xsi:type="string">Magento_Catalog::product/subcategory.phtml</argument>
            </action>
        </referenceBlock>
   </referenceContainer>  

and this is how my catalog_category_view.xml look like

   <referenceContainer name="content">
        <block class="Magento\Catalog\Block\Category\View" name="category.products"
               template="Magento_Catalog::category/products.phtml">
            <block class="Magento\Catalog\Block\Product\ListProduct" name="category.products.list" as="product_list"
                   template="Magento_Catalog::product/list.phtml">
            </block>
         </block>
   </container>

This is how the Design tab look like

So I wanted is to use my customized template subcategory.phtml instead of list.phtml for a certain category.

But what I did has no effect on the site. I have cleared the cache.

Answer 1

I found it out. Apparently I need to use referenceBlock category.products,

The following code works for me.

<referenceContainer name="content">
    <referenceBlock name="category.products">
        <block name="product_list" class="Magento\Catalog\Block\Product\ListProduct">
            <action method="setTemplate">
                <argument name="template" xsi:type="string">Magento_Catalog::product/subcategories.phtml</argument>
            </action>
        </block>
    </referenceBlock>
</referenceContainer>

Answer 2

Try using following code:

<referenceBlock name="product_list" template="Magento_Catalog::product/subcategory.phtml"/>