[Official] 'National Team Retirement' Veteran, AG Wildcard Surprise Selection → China Football Squad Announced

*This content was translated by AI.

The Chinese Football Association announced the roster of its under-23 (U23) national football team to compete in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games. Notably, Veteran, who has effectively retired from the senior national team, joins as a wildcard player aged 24 or older, drawing attention.

On the 1st (Korean time), the Chinese Football Association released the roster for the Nam Ja-chuk-gu (CEO) team at the Asian Games. The squad will be led by Spanish coach Antonio Puente. Among overseas-based players, only Xie Bin from Wolverhampton's under-21 (U21) team is included; all others are contracted to clubs in the Chinese league.

The core of the team consists of members who achieved China's first-ever runner-up finish at the January 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup. Since this Asian Games largely overlaps with A-match periods, the Chinese Football Association has allowed players who are also part of the senior national team to participate in the Asian Games instead. This reflects their strong determination for the tournament.

The standout feature is the wildcard selection. While the men's football tournament at the Asian Games features U23 national teams, up to three players aged 24 or older may be included in the roster. In South Korea, under coach Lee Min-seong, Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic FC), Eom Ji-sung (Swansea City), and Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon FC) are competing as wildcards.

China's wildcard selections are Zhang Weining (29, Beijing Guoan) and Zhu Tianjie (26, Shanghai Shenhua). Unlike South Korea, where wildcards often include players seeking military service benefits, China has selected key senior national team players for the tournament. Additionally, Wu Shi, a 1989-born midfielder (37, Shanghai Shenhua), joins as a wildcard for the Asian Games.

Wu Shi is a veteran who appeared in 90 A-match games between 2011 and 2024. However, he has effectively retired from the national team since 2024. Despite this, he was surprisingly selected as a wildcard for this year's Asian Games.

Chinese media outlet Sohu.com stated, "His last appearance for the national team was three years ago. It is only natural that his inclusion in the U23 squad as a wildcard is surprising." They added, "Based on his extensive experience, he will play a key role in the midfield line. While adjustments may be needed regarding his physical condition and playing time, his mere presence will provide significant encouragement to younger players."

China's best-ever result at the Asian Games was a silver medal at the 1994 Hiroshima Olympics. However, since age restrictions were introduced for U23 teams, their highest achievement has been reaching the quarterfinals. Notably, this year's Chinese U23 national team caused a sensation by finishing as runners-up at the January AFC U23 Asian Cup. South Korea finished fourth in that tournament. Earlier, in November last year during the Panda Cup, they defeated Lee Min-seong's squad 2-0. China was drawn into Group B alongside the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, and North Korea.

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*This content was translated by AI.