In the year 2024, several national team players have decided to retire from professional football. On December 31st, two of these players announced the end of their careers on social media. In just six months, a total of eight national team players have announced their retirement. Among them, Wu Lei praised Cao Yunding, while Zhao Mingjian bid farewell to Dalian.
Cao Yunding, at 35 years old, confirmed his retirement on social media, expressing regret for not winning the Chinese Super League title during his 14 years with Shanghai Shenhua. He has made five appearances for the national team without scoring or assisting any goals. Both Wu Lei and Cao Yunding are products of the Genbao Base youth training system. After Cao's retirement, Wu Lei posted a message wishing him all the best in the future, stating that Cao is the most talented player he has ever seen in terms of combining natural ability with ball skills. Wu Lei reminisced about playing alongside Cao but expressed regret that they could not continue fighting together.
Zhao Mingjian, aged 37, also announced his retirement on the same day, reflecting on his 20-year career from 2004 to 2024. Zhao previously responded to Cao Yunding on social media, saying that it was good to share the same birthday and retirement date. It is clear that Zhao will also be leaving the professional field. Last season, Zhao helped Dalian Yingbo achieve promotion to the top league, and throughout his national team career, he made nine appearances with two assists.
Yu Dabao, at 36 years old, has also retired. Beijing Guoan officially announced that he would end his first-team career and transition into becoming a coach for the club's youth academy. Yu Dabao has made 65 appearances for the national team, scoring 19 goals and providing eight assists, earning him the nickname "the lucky charm" for the national team.
In June of this year, the naturalized national team player Luo Guofu, aged 36, also confirmed his retirement on social media. Luo Guofu once won the league's top scorer award while playing for Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League. He has made five appearances for the national team, scoring one goal. In October, Xiao Zhi, aged 39, announced his retirement. He has made 16 appearances for the national team, scoring three goals and providing two assists, and is considered an excellent tall striker in domestic football.
During the All-Star Football Match held in Linyi this month, a retirement ceremony was held for three former national team players: Feng Xiaoting, Rong Hao, and Li Xuepeng. Feng Xiaoting had already announced his retirement in June of this year. At 39 years old, Feng previously played 69 games for the national team, scoring one goal and providing three assists, and once served as the captain of the national team.
Rong Hao, aged 37, has made 43 appearances for the national team with three assists. Li Xuepeng, aged 36, has also made 32 appearances for the national team with three assists. In the year 2024, all eight of these former national team players have retired, marking the end of many fans' youthful memories of watching football. As time goes by, more familiar players will conclude their careers and embark on new chapters in their lives.