Soccer field, due to injury and illness closed and change the fate of the story abounds: England iron defender Phil Jones in a closed friendly, with the sick bed for months; 2014 World Cup final, aspiring to serve the country of the Argentine winger Di Maria has attempted to close the battle, but ultimately failed to do so.
Even in the case of teammate Wu Lei, there was a similar experience of helplessness.In November 2019, in the away match against Syria, Zhang Linmiao had the misfortune to send an oolong, which led to the loss of the team. After the game, the media pointed out that he had closed the game. Four years later, in March 2024, Zhang Linmiao made a mistake in the clearance in the battle of Singapore, and the team lost the ball. After the match, he confessed that he "must be closed before every game". However, Zhang Lin's head movement did not gain consensus, but was accused of being "irresponsible". Under such pressure, the physical and emotional double test, so that the athlete after the game under great pressure.
Why did Wu Lei take the risk under the pressure of his body and public opinion? Because he is not only the captain, but also the most experienced leader of the national team. Since Gao Hongbo took charge of the national team, Wu Lei has appeared in 99 games, equal to the combined total of Wang Dalei, Zhang Yuning and Wei Shihao. 36 national team goals are not only the most among active players, but also on the list of all-time scorers of the national football team.
Because he is 32 years old, this is his last chance to make a World Cup impact. In past qualifying cycles, he was Asia's second top scorer, showing tenacity against Vietnam and Australia; but there have also been embarrassing one-touch misses and a worrying handling of the Malacca game. In terms of club and personal accolades, he has collected a Chinese Super League title and the Golden Boot, and left a brilliant footprint in Spain, but with the national team he aspires to fulfill the highest World Cup dream.
Not only Wu Lei, the 2026 World Cup is the last obsession for the generation of Chinese players born in 1991-1993, who are in the late stages of their careers. In the era of gold-dollar soccer, they experienced the feeling of playing with high-level foreign aid and coaches, and no longer worried about their livelihood. However, the closest the Chinese men's soccer team came to a World Cup during those illusory years was only the 2018 play-offs. "This is our last impact on the World Cup" is the belief of the veterans and their heartfelt words.
However, whenever the national football team's performance is poor, the voice calling for veterans to "give way early" will rise. Is this really a valid point of view? A mature national team can not be without the experience of veterans. The intercontinental championships of the past decade have been protected by veterans: Klose in Germany in 2014, Pepe in Portugal in 2016, Rami in France in 2018, Navas in Spain in 2024... On the contrary, the results of pushing inexperienced youngsters into high-intensity matches are feared to be unimaginable.
So how should veterans face public opinion? Before accusing them of being "irresponsible" for playing with injuries, they may know their physical condition better than anyone else and assess the risks in advance. Before sarcastically accusing them of "making excuses for their poor performance", they might as well think: if they really have the right backup, why do they have to take the double risk of physical and public opinion? This may affect their fate for the rest of their lives.
Tolerance is the proper attitude towards veterans, not just criticism and ridicule. This helps to stabilize their determination to serve the country and also to retain their fighting strength. Wu Xi, even though he is still performing well in the league, has been labeled as "unworthy of the national team" because of the "ball dodging" incident. It's ironic that a veteran player who is capable of fighting for his country can't continue to play for his country due to "non-competitive reasons". Wu Xi's today, may be Zhang Linlei's tomorrow, may also be the future of Wu Lei.
Don't wait until you lose it to appreciate it. This saying also applies to those veterans who are still fighting for their country. Chinese soccer has nothing to lose and the last treasure should not be wasted.
