Elkeson changed his name to "Axon", and the Chinese men's football team first met the unrelated naturalized international

Reporter | Chen Dingrui

On August 21, 30-year-old Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso added three chinese characters Chinese to his profile on his Instagram profile: Axon.

Once upon a time, he twice held high the five-star red flag and celebrated the arrival of the Asian champion at the crowded Tianhe Sports Center in Guangzhou. When it comes to the issue of naturalization and naturalization, he did not know much about the regular system, and once thought that this matter did not have any possibility of operation.

But today, all the gossip has become a reality, from "Elkeson" to "Axon", in the future national team and continental competitions, he will have more opportunities to wear five-star red flags.

At noon on August 21, the Chinese Football Association announced on the official website the training list for the Qatar World Cup qualifiers, as previously speculated by public opinion, among the 8 players contributed by Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao, Axon's name was prominently listed, and Chinese football once again wrote a new history. From Li Ke becoming the first naturalized international footballer of the Chinese men's football team to Axon becoming the first naturalized international footballer of the Chinese men's football team without blood, when Lippi opened a change of dynasty for the national team, Chinese football, which is infinitely looking forward to the Qatar World Cup, has ushered in a desperate gamble.

The next day, the first meeting of the 11th General Assembly of the Chinese Football Association was held in Hebei Xianghe National Football Training Base, in the unpredictable fate of the one-way street, the opportunities and challenges of Chinese football, confusing.

There is no doubt that Elkeson, born in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, is one of the most outstanding foreign shooters in the Chinese Super League era. From Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao to Shanghai SIPG, he has won 4 Chinese Super League titles, 2 AFC Champions League titles and 1 Super Cup. In 2013 and 2014, he also won consecutive Super League Golden Boots, Chinese Super League Best Team and AFC Champions League Best Team. So far, as the first goal of the Chinese team Club World Cup, he still holds the record of the most goals in a single season in the history of the Chinese Super League with 28 goals in the 2014 season.

On August 11, in the battle of Tianwangshan away from Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao and Beijing Sinobo Guoan, Elkeson's alert harvest in the second half not only expanded his advantage for the leader, but also allowed himself to surpass Wu Lei, who went to the Iberian Peninsula, with a great achievement of 103 goals, becoming the first scorer in the history of the Chinese Super League. Allowing such an efficient shooter to wear the jersey of the national team, Chinese football is bound to benefit a lot.

After his Chinese name appeared in the new national team training list, the Chinese Super League Historical Golden Boot wrote on his personal social platform: "I am very happy and comfortable in China, and this is my home." It was then that I learned of a very challenging possibility, but I accepted the challenge without hesitation. I know, that's the next step I should take... Today, I want to tell the world: I have officially started a new journey, I am Chinese, and I want to repay all your love and care for me over the years. ”

For eight years, Elkeson, who had just emerged in Botafogo, was infinitely close to the glory yellow shirt of the Samba Army, and Mano Menezes, who later came to Shandong Luneng to coach, was recruited to the Training List of Brazil in September 2011. However, in the friendly match against Argentina, Elkeson did not appear - but Ralph (Beijing Guoan), Montillo (Shandong Luneng) and Augusto Fernandez (Beijing Renhe), who later switched to the Chinese Super League, were given the opportunity to play first.

Now, Elkeson, who has not been summoned by the national brand for many years, has come to a new stage. Here, his identity is that of the Chinese international, and his next battleground is the Qatar World Cup qualifiers.