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Jonathan White

China’s national team manager Li Tie refuted reports that he was limited to only calling up four naturalised players to his current 28-man training camp.
Reports in domestic media had said that only four naturalised footballers were allowed at the current camp in Shanghai.
They were explaining why three eligible players – Alan Carvalho, John Hou Saeter and Aloisio – missed out on a first call-up.
However, as reported by Beijing Youth Daily, Li dismissed this during his media interviews.

Nico Yennaris, Tyias Browning, Elkeson, Fernando Henrique are together in the China national training camp. Nico Yennaris were saying something. Elkeson and Fernando Henrique laughed. In which language they were talking? 1.Mandarin 2. Cantonese 3.English 4.Portuguese 5.Esperanto pic.twitter.com/cR31qbT3sT
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) October 5, 2020

“I have never heard of any restrictions – three, four, five?” the former Everton player said.
“For me, there are two criteria for recruiting naturalised players. The first is to be qualified to represent the Chinese team. The second very important point is that they are willing to represent the national team.”
Naturalised Browning and Fernandinho called up by China
Squad newcomers, the naturalised Guangzhou Evergrande pair Tyias Browning and Fernandinho, met Li’s requirements.
“In fact, these two newcomers to the team have a very good performance in the league first, and I have communicated with them before. Both of them have a strong desire to play for the Chinese team.”
There have been concerns from fans about the face of a future Chinese national team, especially over players who become eligible through meeting the five-year residency requirement rather than through Chinese ancestry.

Big congratulations to former Everton Defender, Tyias Browning who has today been called up to Chinese National Team for the first time for their World Cup qualifier games! pic.twitter.com/2SN5Zxx9Uq
— The Toffee Blues (@EvertonNewsFeed) September 29, 2020

Officials have commented on the topic. “We will not let two-thirds of the national team’s line-up be Brazilian naturalised players,” Chinese Football Association secretary general Liu Yi said. “We will recruit two or three, or maybe three or four Brazilian naturalised players. That’s it.”
Earlier, the CFA chairman Chen Xuyuan was more emphatic.
“From the bottom of my heart, I hope it is just a small episode of a stage, let it pass. This (naturalisation) will not become the norm, it will not become the theme, it will not be like some of our fans said that the 11 players in our country are all naturalised, which is absolutely impossible.”
Fifa rule change boosts new-look China’s World Cup hopes
There are seven naturalised players currently eligible to play for China.
Of those, three – Nico Yennaris, Saeter and Browning – naturalised through ancestry while the other four – Alan, Fernandinho, Elkeson and Aloisio – are all Brazilians who qualified through residency.
Another Brazilian, Guangzhou Evergrande’s Ricardo Goulart, has naturalised to Chinese but is ineligible by Fifa regulations as his five-year stay was interrupted by a loan spell back in his homeland.

Tyias Browning(Jiang Guangtai) and Fernando Henrique(Fei Nanduo) on China national team shirts for the first time. The training camp in Shanghai lasts from Oct. 4 to Oct 9. No Game. Tactical session + physical training +patriotic movie watch + lectures given by CFA officials. pic.twitter.com/VJfdUzCz0l
— Titan Sports Plus (@titan_plus) October 4, 2020

Several other footballers will be eligible for naturalisation soon, including Jiangsu Suning’s Alex Teixeira.
China’s next qualifiers for the Fifa World Cup in Qatar in 2022 have been postponed until next year because of the coronavirus pandemic.


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Chinese Football Association (CFA)

Qatar 2022 World Cup: China boss Li Tie says ‘no limit’ on naturalised players

China's Brazilian-born forward Elkeson, known as Ai Kesen in Chinese, celebrates with a Chinese national flag after a Fifa World Cup Qatar qualifying win over Maldives. Photo: AFP

World Cup 2022: China’s Ty Browning and Fernandinho called up by Li Tie

Fernandinho (left) will join Guangzhou Evergrande teammate Elkeson (second from right) at the Chinese men’s national team training camp. Photo: Xinhua

China's Brazilian-born forward Elkeson, Chinese name Ai Kesen, celebrates with a Chinese national flag at the end of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup second round Group A qualification football match between Maldives and Chian at Rasmee Dhandu National Stadium in Male on September 10, 2019. (Photo by Ahmed SHURAU / AFP)

This photo taken on April 14, 2019 shows Nico Yennaris (top), also known as Li Ke, of Beijing Guoan celebrating with teammate Renato Augusto after scoring during their Chinese Super League match against Henan Jianye in Beijing. - Nico Yennaris was born in working-class east London, played with Harry Kane at Arsenal as a boy and is an England youth international. (Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT

Qatar 2022: Fifa rule change boosts new-look China’s World Cup hopes

Alex Teixeira (second from right) of Jiangsu Suning celebrates a goal during the 2020 Chinese Super League season. Photo: Xinhua

Brazil’s Oscar willing to help China if Fifa change eligibility rules

Shanghai SIPG’s Brazilian midfielder Oscar celebrates scoring during the AFC Asian Champions League against Australia's Western Sydney Wanderers in Shanghai. Photo: AFP

Shanghai SIPG's Oscar reacts during the AFC Champions League group stage football match between China's Shanghai SIPG and South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai in Shanghai on March 7, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / - / China OUT

China bank on Brazilians in World Cup 2022 push

Brazil-born Ricardo Goulart is part of a new breed of naturalised Chinese footballers. Photo: AFP

FILE PHOTO: Football - Everton v Norwich City - Capital One Cup Fourth Round - Goodison Park - 15/16 - 27/10/15 Everton's Tyias Browning Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Matthew Childs/File Photo

China's Brazilian-born forward Elkeson (R), Chinese name Ai Kesen, fights for the ball during the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup second round Group A qualification football match between Maldives and Chian at Rasmee Dhandu National Stadium in Male on September 10, 2019. (Photo by Ahmed SHURAU / AFP)

China, naturalisation and Norman Bethune: could footballers be among a select group of foreigners beloved by Chinese?

Pedro Delgado holds a shirt featuring the Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng's badge and the China flag. Photo: Sina Sports

(190125) -- ABU DHABI, Jan. 25, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Head coach of China Marcello Lippi (R) looks on during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal match between China and Iran in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on Jan. 24, 2019. Iran won 3-0 to progress through to the semifinals. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

PEK01:BEIJING,30DEC97 - Chinese workers try to push a huge statue of national hero, Canadian doctor Norman Bethune through the doors of Beijing's Fine Art Museum December 30. Bethune, one of the few foreigners to be considerd a national hero in China, died from an infection sustained after cutting his own finger, which then became infected while treating patients during the Japanese invasion of China. nb/str REUTERS

This handout image shows Olympic champion Eric Liddell (far right), best man at the first wedding of Weihsien internee Jean McDermid's father . Jean was a guest at fellow internee Joe Cotterill's birthday party. COURTESY OF Jean McDermid [30APRIL2017 FEATURE POST MAGAZINE]

China's charismatic football coach Bora Milutinovic (R) jokes with team captain and midfielder Ma Mingyu (L) who is posing with a statue of himself at a park, which had put up statues of all the players in the Chinese World Cup team, in Shenyang, China's northeastern Liaoning province 15 May 2002. The world's most populous nation might be feverish with anticipation at its debut at the World Cup, but many believe China's footballers face an uphill task meeting fans' hopes. AFP PHOTO (Photo by AFP) [12JUNE2019 FIGURED OUT POST MAGAZINE] CREDIT: ALAMY

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Head coach dismisses media reports that 28-player training camp could only feature four naturalised footballers
Ty Browning and Fernandinho given first call-ups but officials adamant that China team will not ‘be Brazilian’ amid fan concerns



Ty Browning and Fernandinho given first call-ups but Chinese FA officials adamant that China team will not ‘be Brazilian’ amid fan concerns.


Fifa World Cup 2022

Chinese Super League

Fifa