The Chinese men's soccer team kicked off their training at 10:30am local time on July 22nd. As the core of the team's strikers, Fang Hao was questioned by the media during the preparation. He said frankly that he had done his best in the first round against South Korea. In the upcoming second round, facing the challenge of Japan, Fang Hao emphasized that the national football team will not simply take a defensive position, but to actively control the ball, showing the team's unique technical and tactical style.
Looking back on his debut in the national team's international A-level tournament, Fang Hao modestly commented: "The opponent was not bad, and I gave my all on the court, so I can say that I did my best. Nevertheless, there is still a gap between myself and my opponent, so I have no regrets. In the future, I will continue to work hard and gradually improve my level."
Talking about whether the lack of playing time in the league will affect the performance of the national team, Fang Hao said: "More or less there will be an impact, such as the pace of the game may be slightly slower to adapt. But I'm very eager to play in this kind of game, and once I play, I'll give my best. Compared to my teammates who play a lot, I may be more energetic in the game."
Fang Hao was excited to participate in such a high-level international tournament as the East Asia Cup, "This is my second international tournament this year, and it's easier for us young players to let go of our mental burdens. The head coach and the national team management also encouraged us to let go of our burdens because we actually don't have much to lose. So, we have to give our best on the field and show ourselves."
Looking ahead to the upcoming match against Japan, Fang Hao revealed, "The head coach expects us to show ourselves in the next match against Japan instead of blindly following the opponent. We need to firmly control the rhythm of the game and not let the opponent control the ball easily. The head coach wants us to control the ball aggressively and avoid being defensive so that we can seize our chances."
