Naturalized target in national midfield draws attention: Sergio's soccer journey with Chinese-born Tenille
On the soccer world stage, the naturalization of the Chinese national soccer team is steadily progressing. Currently, the team is targeting two outstanding players for naturalization in the midfield: one is Sergio, a foreign star from Changchun Yatai of the Chinese Super League, and the other is Tian Le, a Chinese-born midfielder from the Netherlands.
Sergio has played five consecutive seasons since stepping into the Chinese Super League, and his outstanding performances fully meet FIFA's naturalization criteria. Tian Le's family background is equally impressive, as he was born in the Netherlands, his mother originated from Hong Kong, China, and his maternal grandfather was from Guangdong, making him at least three generations of Chinese descent and eligible for naturalization.
This season, at the age of 21, Tian Le's performance at Dutch Eredivisie giants Ajax has been remarkable. Especially in the UEFA Cup, he has shown a very high level of competition, and has already collected two goals and contributed one assist, helping Ajax in the UEFA Cup with two wins and one draw to reach the fourth place. Dutch soccer star Sneijder even praised Tian Le's performance and considered him an indispensable core player of Ajax.
However, Tian Le's outstanding performance not only made him favored by the Dutch U21 national team, but also triggered the anxiety of the national soccer fans. They are worried that Tian Le will be called up by the Dutch team before them, so they have been calling on the CFA online to speed up the naturalization process in order to strengthen the midfield of the national football team. It is reported that Tian Le is currently waiting for a call-up from the Dutch team and therefore politely declined China's invitation.
Recently, Tian Le responded to this question in an exclusive interview with Dutch newspaper People's Journalist Willem Vissers. He admitted that he has received offers from China, Hong Kong, Holland and Suriname, but has not yet made a final choice. "I'm still thinking about it, I have a deep affection for Holland because I grew up here and have played in the Dutch youth team before."
Despite appearing hesitant to make a personal choice, the 21-year-old Tenille seems to prefer playing for the Netherlands. However, due to the fierce competition in the Dutch frontcourt, Tian Le's final decision is still up in the air. In the face of this situation, the CFA should act proactively. If Tian Le can be naturalized successfully, the attacking power of the Chinese football team in the midfield will undoubtedly be greatly improved.
