This archive report was first published on 23 August 2019.
China's football ambitions have taken a significant step forward with the news that nine foreign footballers are switching allegiance to the country in a bid to reach the World Cup for a second time.
On Wednesday, Brazil-born striker Elkeson became the first player without Chinese heritage to be named in the national squad, marking a significant milestone in the country's quest for football glory.
Elkeson, 30, is poised to make his debut next month in a 2022 World Cup qualifier in the Maldives, where London-born Nico Yennaris, who is half-Chinese, will likely win a third cap.
"We want to go to Qatar (2022 World Cup)," said Chen Xuyuan, the new president of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), in a statement to state media.
Chen emphasized that naturalized players can be helpful in achieving the national team's short-term goals, and that up to nine naturalized players have been registered with the CFA, with some still undergoing the naturalization process.
As qualification for the 2022 World Cup progresses, Chen expects more naturalized players to represent China, but stressed that this will be a limited and short-term policy.
Several Brazilian attacking players from the Chinese Super League are reportedly among those being naturalized, as is English-born defender Tyias Browning.
The move to give passports to players born elsewhere has divided fans, with some arguing that the CFA should do everything it can to help Marcello Lippi's side reach the World Cup, while others believe that a country of 1.4 billion people should easily be able to find 11 players good enough.
China have reached football's biggest stage only once, in 2002, but left without a point or scoring a goal. President Xi Jinping wants China to become a major force in world football by 2050, but Lippi's side languish 71st in the current FIFA rankings.
