On the afternoon of January 3rd, Beijing time, the Chinese Football Association announced a new national team training roster. A total of 32 national players were selected, with Wu Lei, Jiang Guangtai, and Alan all missing out due to injuries. Hou Yongyong, who was highly anticipated, finally received a call-up from Ivan Kozlovic, which was a great relief to many.
In this latest training roster for the national team, Ivan not only called up Hou Yongyong, a previously uncapped naturalized player, but also called up two local rising stars, Buyu Lang Mijiti and Wumiti Jiang Yusup. Both of them are only 20 years old this year, with Buyu Lang Mijiti having been selected for the U21 national team before, while Wumiti Jiang Yusup has never even made it into the national youth team. Yet, Ivan dared to break the rules and promote this young defender into the national team, which truly requires extraordinary courage and vision.
So, why did Ivan dare to simultaneously call up these two 20-year-old local rising stars into the national team?
These two 20-year-old local rising stars, one a forward and the other a defender, represent the fresh blood of the national team's front line and backline. Buyu Lang Mijiti, as a member of the U21 national team, has already shown remarkable performance in the youth team, with his speed, technique, and shooting ability all ranking among the best of his peers. On the other hand, Wumiti Jiang Yusup, despite not even reaching the threshold of the national youth team, Ivan saw potential and possibility in his club performances, deciding to give this young defender a stage to prove himself.
Ivan's bold move to call up these two young players is based on multiple considerations. Firstly, it reflects the importance and cultivation of young talent. In the world of football, youth is capital, especially during key periods of renewal and replacement, infusing fresh blood is crucial to maintaining the vitality and competitiveness of the team. Ivan deeply understands that if the national team is to achieve anything on the international stage in the future, it must start now, from the foundation, to cultivate its own young players. Therefore, he dares to break conventions, giving young people opportunities to showcase themselves on the national team stage, even if it means taking certain risks.
Secondly, it is about supplementing and adjusting the existing lineup. With the gradual withdrawal of a group of veterans, the national team urgently needs to find new leaders and core forces. In this list, apart from naturalized players like Hou Yongyong, the addition of Buyu Lang and Wumiti Jiang is precisely to fill this void, injecting new vitality and passion into the team. Their youth, speed, and impact will bring new changes to both ends of the national team's attack and defense, and also provide the coaching staff with more tactical choices and adjustment space.
Of course, Ivan's decision to call up these two young players is not a blind move. Before making the decision, he must have conducted an in-depth understanding and assessment of the two players, including their performances in the club, technical characteristics, psychological state, and future development potential. At the same time, he must have also considered the current needs and future plans of the national team, ensuring that this decision is not only in line with the team's current situation but also beneficial to the team's long-term development.
In summary, Ivan's decision to call up Buyu Lang and Wumiti Jiang, these two 20-year-old local rising stars into the national team, is not only a reflection of the importance and cultivation of young talent but also a supplement and adjustment to the existing lineup. This decision not only demonstrates Ivan Kozlovic's courage and vision but also injects new vitality and hope into the future of Chinese football. Such an Ivan Kozlovic deserves our applause.