At the beginning of 2025, the announcement of the new national football team training roster has caused a stir in the football circle. This training session has selected 32 players, but the harsh reality is that 9 will eventually be eliminated.
Among the new faces on this list, eight stand out: Jian Tao, Han Pengfei, Wu Shaocong, Wu Mitijiang, Huang Zhengyu, Mai Wulang, Yang Liyu, and Hou Yongyong.
Jian Tao is a goalkeeper who has performed well in the Chinese Super League with quick reactions and solid goal-line skills. His selection may bring new vitality to the national team's goalkeeper position. Han Pengfei is a defensive player with strong defensive awareness and good combat ability. He has repeatedly defused opponents' attacks in the league, and his addition could make the national team's defense more stable. Wu Shaocong has accumulated considerable experience in overseas leagues, improving both his physical fitness and defensive skills. His selection reflects the national team's emphasis on overseas players. Wu Mitijiang is young and has already made a name for himself in the league with excellent dribbling and passing skills, which can bring more creativity to the national team's midfield. Huang Zhengyu is versatile and can play in multiple positions, giving the coach more options when arranging the lineup. Mai Wulang is young and an attacking player with speed and explosive power, potentially creating more scoring opportunities for the national team on the front line. Yang Liyu has rich experience in national team matches and strong tactical execution ability, providing strong support for the team's offense. Hou Yongyong is a naturalized player who has performed outstandingly in overseas leagues with comprehensive skills, both in passing and shooting. His selection has raised fans' expectations for the national team's offensive line.
With new players joining, there are veterans leaving. The names of Jiang Guangtai and Wu Lei on the list of omissions have surprised many fans.
Since his naturalization, Jiang Guangtai has been a pillar of the national team's defense. He is physically strong and has a good sense of defensive positioning, successfully limiting opponents' attacks in past matches. There are two main reasons for his omission this time: firstly, he is injured and did not play in the last match against Japan, making it impossible for him to participate in this training session. Secondly, after the end of a season, he needs rest and adjustment. The coaching staff believes that given his abilities, there is no need for him to participate in this training session, and he should still be included in the final match roster later.
Wu Lei is the core of the national team's front line, with impressive speed and positioning skills among domestic players. He is also the main force in the club's offense. This time, he was omitted due to an injury that has not fully recovered. He missed the previous training session due to injury, which sparked some controversy among fans. Since he was not selected for the match against Japan, he has not played any games. According to the Beijing Youth Daily Sports Report, Wu Lei's injury is quite serious, and it may be a long time before he can return to normal training and competition. However, as long as he recovers from his injury, the door to the national team will still be open to him.
Unlike the unexpected omissions of Jiang Guangtai and Wu Lei, Liu Dianzuo's omission was foreshadowed early on. Liu Dianzuo used to be the national team's goalkeeper, but with age, his opportunities to play for the national team have become fewer and fewer. Originally, the national team's first-choice goalkeeper was Yan Junling, second was Wang Dalei, and third was Liu Dianzuo. After Ivan arrived, the first-choice became Wang Dalei, second was Yan Junling, and Liu Dianzuo remained third. As the third-choice goalkeeper, it is difficult to get playing time. Moreover, Liu Dianzuo will be 35 years old in half a year, and at the goalkeeper position, age is not an advantage. With the obvious trend of rejuvenation in the national team, it is inevitable to give young goalkeepers the opportunity to play.
This national team training session is to prepare for the upcoming key match against Saudi Arabia. The national team must go all out to achieve good results. Newly selected players should seize the opportunity to showcase their abilities during training and fight for their place. Players who were not selected should not lose heart; injuries and age are temporary difficulties. As long as they maintain their form, there will still be opportunities to serve the country in the future.
The development path of the national team is still long, and each adjustment of the training roster is a new attempt and challenge. Fans hope that the national team can continue to progress and achieve better results on the international stage. It is believed that under the leadership of the coaching staff, the national team will improve and bring more surprises to Chinese football.