"Can Zhang Yuning really make it at Atletico Madrid?" This question has been buzzing on various football forums and social media platforms in recent days. On one side, fans are excitedly shouting, "Finally, someone can revive Chinese football," while on the other, some cynically remark, "Don't go there just to warm the bench again." These debates not only reflect the explosive nature of the rumors about Zhang Yuning but also reveal the long-standing major issue in Chinese football: the path of overseas development has always been "arduous but unappreciated." Can Chinese players really break their fate this time? On January 3rd, multiple domestic media reported that Chinese player Zhang Yuning has caught the eye of La Liga giants Atletico Madrid, with head coach Diego Simeone specifically expressing his hope for Zhang's joining. If the signing is successful, the 25-year-old Zhang Yuning would become the first Chinese player in Atletico's history. This is an opportunity that catches the eye, yet it is also a huge challenge. Whether Zhang Yuning can live up to this expectation is not only crucial for his personal career but also for the future of Chinese football as a whole. Atletico Madrid has never been a team that pursues flamboyant football. Coach Simeone's tactical style is known for its tough and hard-nosed approach. He needs a forward who can withstand physical challenges from opponents and burst with key power in tough battles. Looking at the early passionate players under his coaching, like Diego Costa, and the efficient starting center forwards, it becomes clear that Simeone wants a…

The future of Chinese football may have to rely on naturalized players to save it. Recently, news about the rapid naturalization of players by the Chinese national team has been flooding social media. According to foreign media reports, the Chinese Football Association plans to naturalize five strong players before next year's key matches, among which the most eye-catching is Chen Dayi. This young striker who grew up in the Manchester United youth training system and currently plays in the English Championship has become a hot topic among fans. Some netizens jokingly say that this may be the biggest move in China's football blood replacement plan. What exactly is the plan for these five players? How will Chen Dayi's addition change the national team's front line? Let's discuss it together. First, let's talk about the naturalization plan for these five players. According to reports, among the five players planned for naturalization, Chen Dayi has the greatest fame. He started his career at Manchester United's youth training and later worked hard in the Bundesliga and the English Championship for many years. His skills are solid, and he even had a highlight performance in the Premier League, breaking through Tottenham's goal. With such a resume, one can't help but marvel: if he had been naturalized earlier, wouldn't the level of the national team's front line have taken off long ago? In comparison, although Wu Xiaohai and Zheng Zeyan also have great potential, their fame and professional experience are slightly inferior. As for Little Oscar and Serginho, their naturalization is basically a done deal,…

Chinese football, well, we've come to understand it in this life: trying to make a name for oneself in the top five leagues is harder than climbing to the heavens! Take Wu Lei, for example; he at least played a few games with Espanyol before returning. Now, there isn't a single Chinese player left in those top leagues! So what do we do? Don't worry, there's always a way! Nowadays, there's a group of young men who have taken an alternative path and gone to Eastern Europe to train! Have you heard of places like Serbia and Croatia? Yes, that's where they are! You might not believe it, but the Eastern European leagues are quite interesting; their level is neither too high nor too low, making them perfect for our Chinese players to practice. Think about it, what are the top five leagues? They're where the gods fight! With our level, we wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between their teeth! We'd probably just end up sitting on the bench, watching the water dispenser! But Eastern Europe is different; the competition is less fierce, there are more opportunities to play, and we can accumulate experience—how great is that! Already, 12 Chinese young men have ventured into the Serbian league! That's not a small number! This lineup might make one think that Chinese football is moving house collectively! Among them are second-generation stars, promising talents, and the unknown "wallflowers," each harboring a strong desire to make a name for themselves in the Eastern European football scene! Let's start with…

The latest training squad list for the national football team has been released, featuring 8 new additions and 3 omissions from the previous period, with 2 surprising exclusions and 1 player who should have retired earlier! In preparation for the crucial upcoming match against Saudi Arabia, the national football team is set to commence a new training camp. A total of 32 players have been selected for this training session, from which 9 will ultimately be cut, with these 9 likely to come from among the newcomers. However, if any of the new faces manage to make a strong impression on the coaching staff during the training, they stand a good chance of securing their place. Compared to the previous national team roster, 8 new players have been added: Jian Tao, Han Pengfei, Wu Shaocong, Wumiti Jiang, Huang Zhengyu, Maiwulong, Yang Liyu, and Hou Yongyong. The three players who did not make the cut are Liu Dianzuo, the goalkeeper who recently transferred from Wuhan Three Towns to Chengdu Rongcheng, Jiang Guangtai, the defender from the 2024 season champions Shanghai Port, and forward Wu Lei. The omission of Jiang Guangtai and Wu Lei came as a surprise to fans. Both Wu Lei and Jiang Guangtai are undisputed mainstays in both their clubs and the national team, often being the key players. Since his naturalization, Jiang Guangtai has been the only naturalized player consistently playing for the national team, significantly stabilizing the defense. His exclusion from this selection was indeed unexpected for fans. There are two reasons behind Jiang Guangtai's omission. Firstly,…

On January 3rd, Beijing time, the Chinese men's national football team announced its first training roster for the New Year. The highly anticipated Hou Yongyong has been selected, along with Yang Liyu, Wu Shaoc

On January 3rd, Beijing time, the Chinese men's national football team announced its first training list for the new year. The naturalized player Hou Yongyong, who was highly anticipated, finally made his first selection. In addition, newcomers such as Maiwulang and Wumiti Jiang were also on the list, while national team captain Wu Lei and veteran Alan were left out of the squad. So what are the highlights of this national team list? Highlight 1: 3 newcomers make their debut! 20-year-old twin stars could be a surprise Hou Yongyong, Wumiti Jiang, and Maiwulang are all making their first appearance on the national team training list. Besides Hou Yongyong, who is 26 years old and in his prime, both Wumiti Jiang and Maiwulang were born in 2004. Maiwulang plays as an attacking midfielder, while Wumiti Jiang plays as a central defender. Both of them, along with Baihelamu, another Xinjiang player, possess a tenacious and positive playing style, and they dare to fight in matches. Perhaps they can also become a pleasant surprise for the national team in the future. Highlight 2: Wu Lei, Jiang Guangtai, and Liu Dianzuo not selected for this training session Compared to the last training list in 2024, Wu Lei, Jiang Guangtai, and Liu Dianzuo were not selected. Both Wu Lei and Jiang Guangtai missed this training session due to physical reasons. As for Liu Dianzuo, who has long served as the third goalkeeper, he has given way to Jian Tao and Han Jiaqi this time. This may also be one of Ivan's measures to promote the…

In the vibrant and passionate green stage of the Chinese Super League, December 31, 2024, marked a poignant pause, as two stars from the 80s generation - Beijing Guoan's Yu Dabao and Shanghai Shenhua's Cao Yunding - bid farewell to the field where they had shed countless sweat and left many memories, like meteors fading into the night sky. Yu Dabao, at the age of 36, reached the end of his career. At that moment, Beijing Guoan, like a deeply affectionate guardian, officially announced his retirement, as if solemnly holding a farewell ceremony for a companion of many years. And Guoan's teammates also sent heartfelt blessings to Cao Yunding in their own ways on social media, as if using these warm words to weave a touching ending for the time they spent together. Lin Liangming and Yu Dabao share a similar and storied past; they embarked on a journey of European training together, chasing their football dreams in foreign lands, and after returning to China, they served Dalian before reuniting at Beijing Guoan. Lin Liangming's words, "Those who like Guoan and pay attention to youth training will still see you 'every day,'" continue to resonate among fans. Other forwards such as Wang Ziming, Fang Hao, and He Yupeng also sent their blessings, which, when combined, undoubtedly prove that Yu Dabao was like a warm sun in winter within the Guoan team, winning recognition and affection from everyone around him with his enthusiasm and sincerity. This good people's edge is like a lush tree deeply rooted within the team. On the…

Wu Lei Returns to Espanyol Training, Expected to Return to Shanghai Port After Recovery to Play in CSL Recently, Wu Lei, the main striker of Shanghai Port, officially announced on social media that he has returned to training with Espanyol. Wu Lei has become the first Chinese football player to appear in one of the top five European leagues in 2025, sparking a lot of discussion among fans. As we all know, Wu Lei had a peak period where he played for Espanyol for many years and made significant contributions to the team. Whenever Espanyol faced a stalemate in matches, Wu Lei always stood out. During his time playing in La Liga for Espanyol, Wu Lei's highlight was scoring an equalizing goal as a substitute in an away match against Barcelona, which made many fans proud of him. At the same time, Wu Lei also gained a certain level of fame throughout the European football scene. Therefore, he became the pride of Chinese football and established himself as a legend of overseas players. Unfortunately, Wu Lei encountered a bottleneck during the later stages of his time in La Liga. As a result, Wu Lei chose to return to Shanghai Port, and it turned out to be a very correct decision. Since returning to Shanghai Port, Wu Lei has entered an explosive mode. The team's consecutive championships in the Chinese Super League (CSL) in 2023 and 2024 were directly related to Wu Lei's outstanding performance at the forward position. For this reason, Wu Lei also won the title of the CSL's…

Recently, the Chinese football world has once again become a focus of attention as the new national team training list is about to be announced. Fans are speculating on which players will be selected and which will unfortunately miss out. Among the list, the absence of Wu Lei is undoubtedly one of the most shocking news, while the fate of several overseas-based players and naturalized players has also received much attention. As the top scorer for the national team, Wu Lei's omission has undoubtedly dealt a significant blow to fans. However, according to authoritative media reports, this decision was not based on technical or tactical reasons but rather took into consideration the difficulties Wu Lei faces at his Spanish club. Due to his continuous absence from La Liga matches, his form has been severely affected, and the national team does not wish to hinder his career at this time. Although Wu Lei has had a glorious record with the national team, this omission is undoubtedly a major test for his personal career. At the same time, the return of several overseas-based players has injected new vitality into the national team. Among them, central defender Wu Shaocong, who plays for Radomiak in the Polish Super League, and another young central defender, Wu Mitijiang, have attracted much attention. Wu Shaocong, as a rare left-footed central defender, has excellent football intelligence, a certain ability to play the ball, and high potential for development. Wu Mitijiang is known for his outstanding physical qualities and flexible playing style, being one of the few domestic central…

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…