The Chinese men's football team will face Thailand tomorrow night, and this match will be crucial for the national football team to qualify for the next stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the United States, Canada and Mexico. At present, the Chinese team is second in the group with 7 points, 3 points ahead of the third-place Thai team. South Korea topped the table with 10 points, while Singapore finished bottom with 1 point. It seems that the national football team has the advantage, but if it loses at home, the situation will take a sharp turn for the worse, and the prospects for qualification will be bleak.
Judging from the comments of netizens, most people do not have much hope for the national football team. Some people think that not entering the World Cup is the normal state of Chinese football, and it is not normal to enter the World Cup. This reflects the frustration and disappointment of Chinese football for a long time. Some netizens half-jokingly invoked "Murphy's Law", believing that at a critical moment, if something could go wrong, then it would definitely go wrong, and it was inferred that the Chinese team would definitely lose.
Objectively speaking, even if the national football team draws with Thailand, it is also in danger of going out. Because in the final round of the group, the Chinese team will play away against the stronger South Korean team. Considering the difference in strength between the two sides, the national football team has little hope of winning away. As a result, even if it draws with Thailand, it is very likely that it will be overtaken by the opponent and miss the promotion.
In the face of the unfavorable qualifying situation, some fans said that they would rather prepare for the next World Cup in advance. This kind of remarks reflects their concerns about the aging of the national football team and the lack of succession. It is true that after the Chinese men's football team reached the World Cup for the first time in 2002, several qualifiers since then have returned without success. Generations of players have come and gone, but the record of the national football team has always stood still.
However, excessive pessimism will not help solve the problem. For the national football team aiming to qualify, the top priority at present is to go all out to play a good game against the Thai team and strive to win at home. As long as they get three points, the national football team will consolidate the second place in the group and win more initiative for the final round of competition. At that time, it may be possible to hope that Thailand and South Korea will contribute to a draw, in which case, the second place in the national football group will be more secure.
Of course, if the national football team wants to get rid of the embarrassing situation of "qualifying and looking at people's faces", the fundamental strategy is to improve its own strength. Looking at Asian football, the reason why strong teams such as Japan, South Korea, and Iran have been able to qualify for the World Cup many times and have won in the main tournament is inseparable from their emphasis on youth training and the establishment of a perfect youth echelon system. On the other hand, in Chinese football, although the Football Association and professional leagues have increased investment in youth training in recent years, the results are still very limited. The national youth echelon has been out early in the Asian competition year after year, and it is difficult for local young players to perform amazingly after entering the first team, no wonder the national team can only rely on veterans.
In general, if the national football team wants to return to the World Cup stage, it depends on the performance against Thailand tomorrow night, and it also tests the comprehensive strength and future development of Chinese football. Only by being down-to-earth, working hard for a long time, and working hard to improve the level of the league and the quality of youth training, if the Chinese football team wants to return to the World Cup stage, it will not only depend on the performance of the Thai team tomorrow night, but also test the comprehensive strength and future development of Chinese football. Only by working hard to improve the level of the league and the quality of youth training can Chinese football truly embark on the road of sustainable development.
At present, Chinese football is in a critical period of reform and development. With the new management of the Football Association in place, a series of policies and measures aimed at promoting the construction of the league, strengthening the management of professional players, and improving the youth training system are steadily advancing. These reforms will take time to bear fruit, but they point the way for the long-term development of Chinese football.
At the same time, the majority of fans should also look at the national football team and Chinese football with a more inclusive and rational attitude. Football is a sport full of variables, and winning or losing is a common thing. Of course, we can make objective evaluations and well-intentioned criticisms of the performance of the national football team, but excessive criticism and abuse are not conducive to the growth of the team. On the contrary, giving more encouragement and support to the team when they are facing difficulties and creating a good atmosphere of public opinion will go a long way in stimulating the morale of the players.
In the future, I hope that the Chinese men's football team can meet the challenges of every game with high morale and the belief that it will win. Even if the road ahead is full of thorns, as long as we work together, one day, Chinese football will be able to stand on the world stage again and bring long-lost glory and pride to the Chinese people. At the moment, the national football team needs to go all out to play a good game against the Thai team and take a solid step forward for the long journey with a victory. Let us work together to cheer for the national football team and work together for a better tomorrow for Chinese football!