Sanxiang Metropolis Daily·New Hunan Client All-Media Commentator Zhang Jun Video Liu Wen
“The plan has changed! Get ready to win the championship!” was the slogan on the screen when the U23 national football team entered the final, which was like a shot in the arm, breaking through the years of oppression and expectations of Chinese fans.
While we are immersed in the hustle and bustle of leagues in various places, real fans have actually been silently paying attention to the journey of this young team. When this undervalued team emerged as a dark horse and went all the way to the end, with the tenacity of five games without conceding a goal and a three-goal victory over Vietnam, it returned to the finals of the men’s national football tournament after 22 years. It not only created tournament history, but also ignited a blazing light for Chinese football in the cold season and sowed the seeds of hope.
Don’t mention the past, or you will cry when you mention it. In the past five U23 Asian Cups, the Chinese team has finished last in the group three times and has never made it to the knockout rounds. There are bitter memories both inside and outside the stadium. In this tournament, this undervalued team fought hard all the way to the end, using tight defense to build a solid defense line without conceding a goal, and using youthful and bloody hard work to reverse the key situation. In the semi-final against Vietnam, Antonio’s decisive change of formation broke the conservative controversy. The team achieved suppression with 63% of the ball possession rate in the first half, and finally advanced to the final with an overwhelming advantage, allowing fans to witness the continuation of the “Chinese myth”.
This breakthrough is of great significance. It ends the cycle of “repeatedly hitting the dawn but falling into the dark night” for China’s youth national brands. The regret of falling short in the U20 Asian Cup in 2023 and 2025 was washed away by the joy of victory at this moment. More importantly, the victory allowed the players to complete the transformation of their mentality, from the lack of confidence of “never succeeded” to now the courage to shout “fight for the championship”. This kind of spiritual growth and transformation is far more valuable than the score.
The stunning performance of the U23 national football team is essentially the result of pragmatic tactics and long-term persistence. This kind of pragmatism of knowing oneself and the enemy is exactly the sobriety that Chinese football, which has long been swinging between being too ambitious and belittling, needs the most clarity.
And the foundation of all this is inseparable from the silent hard work of youth training. Most of the core players of this team are the generation that grew up after the “Comprehensive Plan for the Reform and Development of Chinese Football” was promulgated in 2015. They include Wang Yudong, a benchmark in local youth training, Li Hao, who returned from studying abroad, and Zhang Aihui, who came out of campus football.
The diversified youth training path and the stable coaching of Antonio’s team for many years have confirmed the simple truth of “long-term success” in football development. At the same time, after the ebb of “Jinyuan Football”, young players have gained more practical opportunities in the Chinese Super League and Chinese League One. The “kicked out” game experience allows them to be calm and calm when encountering strong situations in intercontinental competitions.
Despite the joy, rational examination is indispensable. In this tournament, strong teams such as Japan and Uzbekistan have not sent their main players, and the true strength of the Chinese team still needs to be tested in more tough battles.
But regardless of the outcome of the final, this breakthrough has set the course for Chinese football. It proves that there is no need to rush for quick success in football reform. The grassroots football craze, the separation of league management and administration, and the establishment of a five-level youth training system will eventually show results at the top of the pyramid. It also allows us to see that by giving young people opportunities and youth training time, Chinese football can get out of the vicious cycle.
In the finals on January 24, the Chinese team will have a peak showdown with the Japanese team. Behind the slogan “Fight for the Championship” is the fearless courage of youth; no matter what the result is, this team has completed its mission. They used victory to reshape Chinese football’s confidence, and used hard work to polish the original intention of football.
There is hope for spring, and everything can be expected. I hope this youth storm can be turned into a sustained driving force, allowing Chinese football to move forward steadily on the right path, and making more people believe that as long as persistence and pragmatism go hand in hand, the future of Chinese football will eventually be promising.
Editor: Su Liang
First instance: Xue Lin
Second Instance: Zhang Jun
Third Instance: Zhou Wenbo
Source: Sanxiang Metropolis Daily
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