Just just entered the U23 Asian Cup with the second place in the qualifiers group and the first in the second place in all groups. Before I could celebrate it well, a cruel reality was already in front of me. Next year's draw of lottery, they were almost certain to fall into a "death group" with crushing strength.
In the qualifying stage, the boys' performances were actually very good: they tied Australia, tied with two wins and one draw to 7 points, held 11 goals, and advanced with the second strongest team in the most convincing group. Unfortunately, due to the history of never qualifying in the group in the first five U23 Asian Cups, the Chinese team can only rank fourth.
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This means that on the stage of next year's main competition, the Chinese team will definitely be in the same group as each team in the first, second and third levels. Japan, Saudi Arabia, Uzbek and Iraq are in the first tier; South Korea, Australia, Vietnam, and Qatar are in the second tier; Thailand, Jordan, the UAE, and Iran are in the third tier - no matter who they draw in the end, every game will be a tough battle.
From the ecstasy of qualifying to the difficulty of breaking through the group, it only took a night. This may be the true portrayal of Chinese football today: even if it occasionally brings surprises and the strength gap brought about by long-term weakness still makes every step forward particularly heavy. This time, if the U23 young players want to break the curse that they have never qualified, they not only need to draw lots of luck, but also rely on their own efforts to do their best every minute.
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For this group of young players, the significance of this Asian Cup is far more than just "strive to qualify". It is a rare world-class stage and an opportunity that may change their football life.
In the qualifiers, many young people have emerged and attracted attention from home and abroad. The hottest one is 18-year-old Wang Yudong - in the match against Northern Mariana, he played 7 goals directly in 45 minutes on the bench, with amazing offensive efficiency. Currently, his net worth has reached 1.5 million euros and has also been included in the 2025 Global U20 strongest 200 people list released by the international football agency CIES, ranking 54th. Many fans and professionals are shouting: "Learn abroad as soon as possible!"
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Baihe Lamu is also eye-catching. He presses positively in the frontcourt and has a strong sense of tactical presence, and even staged a hat trick against Northern Mariana. Goalkeeper Li Hao was as stable as a rock in the key battle, especially his many pounces against Australia, defending the precious draw for the Chinese team.
A group of reliable candidates have also emerged in the defense: Wumi Tijiang has fierce defense and wide coverage, Peng Xiao calmly made the ball, and a high one-on-one success rate, captain Liu Haofan has his own leadership temperament, Wang Shiqin is full of energy on the left, and Hu Hetao is active in interception - they work together to complete a clean sheet against Australia and withstood the test.
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It is worth mentioning that in CIES' U20 list, two Chinese players, Li Xinxiang (158th) and Yang Haoyu (199th) are on the list. It can be seen that the international data community has also begun to pay attention to the growth of young Chinese players.
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The real test is still in the main competition. Faced with Asia's strongest opponent, the Chinese team should not only pursue breakthroughs in performance, but also encourage young people to dare to perform and take responsibility. Wang Yudong and Baihe Lamu, the names that shined in the qualifiers, have attracted the attention of overseas scouts. The intensity and exposure of the main competition will be the best touchstone for them to move to a higher stage.
Standing at the crossroads of your career, this journey of the "Death Group" is both an unprecedented challenge and a real opportunity to go abroad.
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Anyway, they already held the tickets for the main competition in their hands. As long as you show your fighting spirit, young players will be able to play with their energy. It would be great if they can qualify in the group!
