Qatar 2022: China’s Elkeson, Nico Yennaris, Ty Browning, Fernandinho and Alan Carvalho firing World Cup dream
- Li Tie has called five naturalised players up to squad for crucial Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers later this month
- China, population of 1.412 billion, could be represented by five naturalised players as they hope to qualify for first finals since 2002
The latest census figures from China published last week put the country’s population at 1.412 billion – up from 1.4 billion a year before – with analysts poring over what that means for everything from the global economy to domestic policy.
The question on some people’s lips is what does it mean for football?
China has only qualified for one Fifa World Cup finals, the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea. They played three games, losing all three and failing to score.
When China begins its training camp today in Suzhou there will be a record five overseas-born footballers in the national team camp: England-born Nico Yennaris and Ty Browning, plus the Brazil-born trio Elkeson, Alan Carvalho and Fernandinho.
It might be a new look China when they line up against Guam on May 30 in head coach Li Tie’s first Fifa World Cup qualifier.
