The new star of the national football team, Wang Zhenao, bloomed brilliantly
1. Wang Zhenao's personal profile
In Chinese football, there are always some young players who attract the attention of fans across the country with their outstanding talent and outstanding performance. Shanghai Port's 24-year-old full-back Wang Zhenao is a rising star.
Wang Zhenao has loved football since he was a child, he is tall, has outstanding physical fitness, and his figure on the field is unforgettable. After working hard from the academy step by step, he finally started for Harbour in the 2022 Chinese Super League season and became a regular in the team with his outstanding performances.
In the 2023 season, Wang Zhenao's progress is obvious to all. He started every game, fought tenaciously on the defensive end, and also showed wonderful passing on the offensive end from time to time. With his outstanding performance throughout the year, he was not only selected for the best team of the Chinese Super League, but also was called up by the national team for the first time. For this young player, being able to wear the national team jersey is definitely the greatest affirmation and encouragement.
Second, the new coach of the national football team, Ivankovic, arrived
In February 2024, Croatian coach Ivankovic replaced Jankovic as the head coach of the Chinese men's football team. The 70-year-old veteran coach has coached a number of Asian teams, most notably when he led Shandong Luneng to the Chinese Super League title in 2010.
Ivankovic knows the Chinese football environment inside out. After taking office, he bluntly said that the Chinese team needs to build a more offensive team. "From my coaching experience and football philosophy, the Chinese team needs to play more aggressively. There is a need to improve the success rate of the players on the field, to be more efficient and to be more aggressive. ＂
The veteran coach is full of confidence, and he has made it his highest goal to hit the World Cup. "Our primary goal is to be the first to get through this stage of the competition and reach the round of 18 in Asia for the World Cup qualifiers. The ultimate goal is to build a strong Chinese team and strive to qualify for the World Cup. ＂
3. Interpretation of the new list of the national football team
In order to achieve the goal of impacting the World Cup, Ivankovic announced the first national football training list during his tenure, focusing on youth and offense. The number of people in this 31-member "big list" is rare in the history of the national football team.
In this list, five players, including Wang Zhenao, are selected for the national team for the first time. They are Xie Wenneng, Cheng Jin, Zhao Bo and Li Yuanyi, with an average age of less than 30 years old, and they are the representatives of the new generation of Chinese football.
A number of veterans such as Wu Xi, Tan Long, Jian Tao and other 8 people were ruthlessly eliminated. This marks that Ivankovic has comprehensively accelerated the pace of renewal of the national football team since the beginning of his tenure.
Ivankovic did not completely sweep away the veterans, and three naturalized players such as Fernando and Exxon were still reused. He explained: "The door is open to everyone and it is our position to help the players with a positive attitude. ＂
Fourth, Wang Zhenao's national football opportunity
Being able to be selected for the national football team for the first time is no accident for Wang Zhenao. In the 2023 Chinese Super League season, the full-back started every game, and he was tenacious in defense and made wonderful passes in attack. His outstanding performance throughout the year was not only selected for the best team of the Chinese Super League, but also favored by the national team coaching staff.
It is not easy for Wang Zhenao to gain a foothold in the national football team. At present, the main left back of the national football team is Zhang Linpeng, and the right side is controlled by two veterans, Jiang Guangtai and Liu Yang. To win the main position in the hands of these experienced players, Wang Zhenao also needs to show extraordinary strength and aggressiveness in the national team.
Fortunately, Ivankovic has a strong preference for young players. "I believe that the Chinese players are strong, and I believe that under the leadership of the coaching staff, the players will perform better, so that they can have better results for everyone. Wang Zhenao is in the prime of his career, as long as he continues to improve, he will one day be able to challenge Zhang Linpeng's starting position.
Fifth, the new journey of the national football team
After Ivankovic took office, the priority of the national football team is to try to advance to the round of 18 in the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. On March 21 and 26, the national football team will play Singapore in the fourth pot of the group, away and at home.
Scoring all 6 points is a basic requirement for the national football team, but in the first away game, the national football team was forced to draw 2:2 by Singapore, and the good situation was lost. Fortunately, in the second leg, they defeated Singapore 4:1 at home, ending a five-game winless streak.
Progressing to the round of 18 is not an easy task. In June, the national football team will face Thailand, who are tied with four points, and this direct dialogue will be the decisive battle. Ivankovic is confident that he can lead the team to play attacking football, and the confidence and execution of the players will also be the key to victory.