After an interview with Vietnam on August 23, Cheng Wenli, a well-known domestic media figure, announced that Coach Troussier will play two friendly matches with the Chinese men's soccer team in October this year in preparation for the World Cup qualifiers. However, the exact time and venue of the matches have not yet been finalized. What is known is that the venues will be set up in China and the opponents will be Vietnam, China and the formation of Uzbekistan.
In addition to Vietnam, the national soccer team will also play a real match against Uzbekistan.
Of course, the match against Vietnam was played with them as the actual hypothetical foe, simulating fellow World Qualifying opponents Thailand; Uzbekistan was naturally set up as an alternative to South Korea. These two teams have similar characteristics to the enemies in China's group. Vietnam played at a relatively similar pace to Thailand. Like Korea, Uzbekistan has a huge advantage in terms of actual confrontation, speed and forward movement.
Therefore, it makes perfect sense for the national soccer team to fight them. However, there are many comments that the national soccer team's game against Vietnam is not necessarily a solid victory. Compared to those who played Southeast Asian teams 20 years ago, the national soccer team now has to put in a huge effort to take 3 points.
While that statement is full of pessimism, it really isn't alarmist. Like Pathum United, who were only in the middle of the pack yesterday in Thailand, Super League champions and this season's vastly superior Shanghai Port lost 2-3. Sonkrasin, dubbed Thailand's Lionel Messi during the match, made waves many times on the sidelines, breaking and passing down the pitch to keep our national brand back-end of Zhang Linlian, Stanley Wong and Jiang Guangtai on their toes. The assisting team's foreigners also broke through several times and were almost in a dominant position.
This performance and performance is enough to prove this. The national soccer team's match against Vietnam in the warm-up game does have real significance. We should try to win and make sure we are confident about our future and development. Let's not forget that we lost 1-3 to them in a World Cup qualifier earlier this year.What kind of fighting spirit will the national soccer team show after 18 months? It will be of significant comparative value.
The supporters and coaching staff of the national soccer team knew that if they could not get six points from their two matches against Thailand in the World Qualifiers, then the whole criticism would come one after the other. It's just like Fan Zhiyi predicted back in the day. If that's the case, I'm afraid the dark times are far from over for Chinese soccer.
Of course, the head coach of the national soccer team Jankovic is naturally aware of the problems and consequences. He is also seriously preparing to stimulate the value of all types of naturalized players, to select as much talent as possible in the Chinese Super League and to ensure the team's level of play. It is also more appropriate to arrange friendly matches with Vietnam and Uzbekistan. As you know, the 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams. If that's the case, we still won't make it to the main World Cup circuit. Then there's nothing to talk about.
