AFC Asian Cup: Chinese social media applauds Hong Kong footballers after UAE loss – and city’s use of foreign-born stars
- Weibo users say selection of naturalised players who are making an impact for Hong Kong contrasts with those recruited by mainland China
- ‘[Hong Kong’s] naturalised players had spent years living there,’ one commenter says. ‘Our naturalised players were paid for with substantial money’
Fans suggested that Hong Kong’s national team were on the right track by naturalising foreign-born players while criticising their own Chinese Football Association for its attempts at pursuing that policy in the past.
A Weibo user sparked a debate by starting a thread suggesting Hong Kong’s surprisingly competitive performance was based around the naturalised players, and questioned why the same strategy worked less well in mainland China.
“Hong Kong’s naturalised players are quite good, they’re even more threatening than UAE when attacking,” one comment said.
“[Hong Kong’s] naturalised players had spent years living there,” a user from Liaoning commented. “Our naturalised players were paid for with substantial money.
“Just like Ricardo Goulart, returning to Brazil after earning enough and switching back to his original nationality.”