The Chinese national football team has just completed its winter training, which should have been an opportunity to inject momentum for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers. However, a piece of news has emerged that casts a heavy shadow over the fans' expectations. According to domestic media reports, two highly anticipated naturalized players, Serginho and Little Oscar, may not be able to represent the national team due to incomplete procedures in the next two World Cup qualifiers in March. This news undoubtedly adds uncertainty to the national team's prospects for qualification.
Whether the two naturalized players can join the national team in time is crucially dependent on the urgent deadline of February 18th. According to current regulations, the Chinese Super League's winter transfer window will close on this date. If the naturalization procedures are not completed before then, Serginho and Little Oscar will not be able to participate in the World Cup qualifiers. If they fail to complete the naturalization procedures, the clubs can only register them as foreign players, which would not only be a significant loss for the players themselves but also put their respective clubs, Yunnan Yulong and Beijing Guoan, in a difficult situation.
For the clubs, the high costs required for naturalizing players are not insignificant. If they can only be used as foreigners in the end, it would undoubtedly be a waste of funds, and the clubs are unwilling to bear such "unjustified" expenses. In this case, the clubs are likely to choose to delay naturalization, which could affect the strength of the national team.
From the perspective of the national team, the absence of Serginho and Little Oscar will create a significant tactical void. These two players make irreplaceable contributions in the attacking end, especially Serginho, who can not only play an excellent organizing role in midfield but also take on multiple roles in attack. Whether breaking through on his own or creating opportunities for teammates, he can efficiently drive the team's offense.
As a forward, Little Oscar focuses mainly on attacking, but his excellent footwork and precise passing skills are also valuable assets to the team. Little Oscar can not only create scoring opportunities for himself but also deliver threatening passes to his teammates with his outstanding vision. For the national team, the lack of these two players will greatly weaken the firepower in the attack.
Currently, Wu Lei will miss the World Cup qualifiers due to injury, making the absence of Serginho and Little Oscar even more important. Wu Lei was the core figure of the national team's attack, and his absence will cause the team to lose a key attacking point in the frontcourt.
Without Serginho's midfield coordination, the national team's attack may fall into paralysis, especially when midfield passing is not smooth, the team will find it difficult to organize effective attacks. At the same time, if the team cannot control the rhythm of the midfield, defensive loopholes will be quickly exploited by opponents.
More seriously, the absence of Serginho and Little Oscar may deal a huge blow to the morale of the national team. The players had great expectations for the addition of these two naturalized players, believing that they could enhance the overall strength and competitiveness of the team. Now, with the naturalized players failing to appear as scheduled, it may cause the players to feel disappointed, which could affect their state and mentality during matches. At such a critical moment, the low morale of the team may make the original match preparations even more challenging.
In summary, if Serginho and Little Oscar cannot represent the national team in time for the World Cup qualifiers, the national team will face a double blow of reduced combat effectiveness and morale. To prevent the dream from shattering, the national team must quickly resolve the issue of naturalization procedures to ensure that the two players can participate smoothly. Only in this way can the team ensure greater chances of victory in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers and provide strong support for the push to qualify for the World Cup. Otherwise, the national team's dream of the 2026 World Cup may come to an abrupt end.