With the 2026 World Cup qualifiers approaching, the eyes of the Chinese football community and beyond are once again turning to a controversial topic – naturalized players. In the last World Cup cycle, naturalized players injected new vitality into the Chinese men's national football team and became an important force in the World Cup.
However, with the adjustment of FIFA's policy on naturalized players and the change of the national team lineup, we can't help but ask: can the national football team still rely on naturalization power to impact the 2026 World Cup?
First of all, we have to face the reality that the role of naturalized players in improving the strength of the national team is obvious. In the past few years, the addition of naturalized players such as Exxon and Alan has undoubtedly strengthened the overall strength of the Chinese men's football team. Their goals and assists at key moments won a valuable victory for the Chinese team and left a deep impression on the hearts of the fans. However, naturalized players are not a panacea, and their inclusion will not solve all the problems of Chinese football.
Secondly, FIFA's adjustment of the naturalization policy on players has also had a great impact on the naturalization strategy of the national football team. Under the latest rules, naturalized players need to meet stricter conditions, including the length of time they have lived in their home country and the number of appearances they have made for the national team. These new regulations undoubtedly increase the difficulty of naturalizing players, and also make the national football team need to be more cautious in the selection of naturalized players.
In addition, the change of the national team lineup is also an important factor affecting the role of naturalized players. As a group of veterans fade out, a new generation of players is beginning to emerge.
These young players have better technique, greater physicality and greater tactical literacy, and their rise is undoubtedly good news for the national team. However, it also means that the status of naturalised players in the national team may be challenged, and it will take time to prove whether they will be able to continue to play a key role.
However, we should not rely too much on naturalized players. After all, football is a collective sport, and the strength of a team does not depend solely on the ability of individual players. If the national football team wants to make a difference in the 2026 World Cup, it also needs to comprehensively improve in many aspects such as youth training, leagues, and coaching. Only in this way can we truly realize the rise of Chinese football.
To sum up, naturalized players will still play an important role in the process of the national football team's impact on the 2026 World Cup, but their role may be limited to a certain extent.
If the national football team wants to achieve good results on the World Cup stage, it also needs to make comprehensive improvements in many aspects. We look forward to the days to come, Chinese football can come out of the trough and usher in a real spring.
Finally, as fans and **, we should also give more support and encouragement to the national football team. After all, they represent the future and hope of Chinese football. Let's cheer for Chinese football together and look forward to their miracles at the 2026 World Cup!