The two World Cup qualifiers in 2025 are crucial matches against strong opponents Saudi Arabia and Australia, which can be described as life-and-death battles. If the Chinese national football team fails to win these two games, they may have to give up their chance to qualify. However, if everything goes smoothly, there might be a new face in the lineup of the national team in 2025, who is urgently needed and provides targeted reinforcement.
On December 5, 2024, photos shared on social media showed that the player had arrived in China. He had previously submitted materials to apply for a change of nationality. Whether he can replace the national team in the game will depend on whether he meets the tactical needs of the national team coaching staff. Many people are wondering if the Chinese team could perform better with him.
In 2025, Chen Xuyuan is serving a life sentence, and Li Tie has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Fans know that the losses caused by these two individuals to Chinese football are immeasurable in monetary terms, and the impact on the morale and confidence of Chinese football is unknown how many people will have to pay for it in time and effort. 2025 marks the 31st year of professionalization in Chinese football, entering its fourth decade. The anti-corruption bell has sounded, and Chinese football, after "scraping the bones to treat the wound," is still betting big on the World Cup.
From the current situation, the Football Association believes that the Chinese team is still very capable of directly obtaining the qualification to advance, which is a good idea, but the reality is tough. The two World Cup qualifiers in 2025 are strong dialogues with Saudi Arabia and Australia. The Chinese football team must at least get 4 points in these two games to look forward to obtaining the qualification to advance and compete again with Indonesia and Bahrain. Ivan is still firm and hopeful about the national team's entry into the World Cup.
It can be seen that Ivan is too optimistic about qualifying, which is because he has started to rely on naturalized players again. Year after year, session after session, changing the soup but not the medicine, can the way of naturalization really allow the national team to enter the World Cup and restore the confidence of fans?
China's sports world is never short of top talents, like Zhang Jike, Sun Yang, etc., who shine in various competitions in their respective fields, eventually standing on the podium wrapped in the five-star red flag, happily winning glory for the country with patriotic hearts. There is such a foreigner who publicly expressed his wish to wear the national team uniform and play for the 18-strong team in an interview with the media. He is Oscar, a football player with the same name as Shanghai Port Oscar.
Oscar was born in 1999 and shares the same name as the Harbor Oscar, but there is a big difference in terms of strength. From the start of the 2020 season to now, he has played 117 games in the Chinese Super League, contributing 32 goals and 18 assists. Compared with the national team's forwards, the data is not outstanding, and some even think that his naturalization is not worth it.
However, as a player who is 182 cm tall, he can play as a center forward, possesses the abilities of a winger and attacking midfielder, and is a versatile player in the frontcourt. Compared with previous naturalized players, Oscar is relatively young and has performed well in the Chinese Super League. Looking at the national team's strength, "weak waist" has always been the national team's pain point, and a player who can get the ball in midfield, organize attacks, dribble, pass, and shoot is undoubtedly what the national team needs most.
Previously, when watching Oscar's performance in the Chinese Super League, he often seemed to be strolling and watching the ball at the defensive end, so Oscar was eager to be naturalized, but it was not smooth. At a critical moment, Yunnan Yuku team stood out to help Oscar pay all the money to assist in his naturalization. In late November 2024, Yunnan Yuku signed Oscar and brought him a 3+1 contract, with a salary that Oscar recognized, and there was basically no pressure on the transfer fee.
This means that Oscar can continue to work and live in China, exceeding the basic conditions for naturalization after more than five years. Oscar has been active in the Chinese arena for many years, is particularly familiar with the national team, the Chinese Super League, and Chinese players, and has been in China for nearly eight years since 2018, making him a player who has grown up in the Chinese professional football system. Unlike Pato, who actively integrated into Chinese life or culture, Oscar is just an ordinary person working in China, currently only 25 years old.
Yukun Club also revealed that upon his return to China, Oscar has submitted materials to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to apply for a change of nationality, which means he will contribute to Chinese football. In an interview, Oscar himself also expressed his desire to "transfer" to the national team. Age is one of his advantages. Once favored by Ivan and wearing the No. 9 jersey of the national team, Zhang Yuning will also have a good helper. When Zhang Yuning's form and physical fitness decline, Oscar can step up actively.
"An African face, a Chinese heart," on December 5th, Beijing time, Oscar updated a picture on social media with the caption: China, homecoming, which seems to mean that he has completed the procedures for changing his nationality. After completing the conversion of nationality, Oscar will be one step closer to representing the men's team in battle.
Having fresh blood to serve the national football cause is a win-win situation for both Yukun and the future recruitment of the national team. For Oscar himself, this is recognition of his football career in China over the years. Through this way, it can also allow the national team to pose a greater threat to opponents when playing defensive counterattacks in Asian competitions. On the other hand, Oscar's joining can motivate more domestic players to strive to improve their skills.
Through naturalization, more expectations have been brought to the national team's future on the field. In addition to Oscar, the naturalization work of Serginho is also underway. He transferred from Kashima Antlers to Changchun Yatai at the beginning of 2020 and is only 30 years old, at the peak of his career. As a midfielder, he fits the urgent need of the national team for a No. 10 player, capable of controlling the ball, advancing with the ball, assisting, and possessing long-range shooting ability.
Once Oscar and Serginho join the national team, perhaps Chinese football can recreate its former glory moments, and fans can look forward to it. However, new members joining require sufficient time to integrate, and as to whether they can perfectly adapt to the new system, there is not much time left for Ivan.