Fans gave Alan's performance a very high rating. In the tense atmosphere of the National Football League World Cup qualifiers, mistakes are not desirable, and every selected player needs to be ready to rise to the occasion. If the player is in poor condition, it is better to temporarily withdraw from the lineup of the Chinese men's soccer team, and then return to the field after the condition has recovered. Especially in the matchups with strong teams such as South Korea and Thailand, Alan has shown a key role.
The loss of former national soccer team captain Wu Xi has also raised concerns. Some media revealed that Wu Xi was physically and mentally exhausted by the sea cucumber endorsement incident, perhaps making way for younger players. In contrast, Alan's reasons for choosing to turn down a call-up to the national team are clearly more convincing, and most fans can empathize with them.
For those veterans of the national soccer team, the world qualifiers do not seem to have made much of a difference. They often feel a sense of trepidation and lack of confidence in the face of slightly stronger opponents. On the contrary, the naturalized players seem to have a stronger will to fight, which is undoubtedly more prominent than the local players. Therefore, the words of physical and mental exhaustion of Wu Xi and the others may be just excuses, or even lies, now that the truth has been revealed.
