Wu Lei Interview: Full of confidence, meet the challenge
Wu Lei Interview: Full of confidence, meet the challenge
On February 27, Wu Lei revealed in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency that the national soccer team has gotten rid of the second-rate Asian label and is confidently aiming to advance to the 18-team tournament.
Yesterday, Wu Lei was honored with the China Golden Ball Award, winning the award for the fourth consecutive year, a record high. He said excitedly: "This award makes me incredibly happy. When I first arrived in Spain, my status and the atmosphere of Chinese soccer were on the rise. Although the soccer environment has not been satisfactory in recent years, I would like to thank the organizers, judges and fans for supporting Chinese soccer at this difficult time. Despite the overall situation of Chinese soccer, the organizers have always stood firm and set a good example of soccer."
Facing the challenges of Chinese soccer, Wu Lei emphasized, "In the face of adversity, we have to be more determined. If practitioners lose confidence, the future of Chinese soccer is worrying. Despite the enormous pressure on the players, we should do our best to show our best form and meet the higher expectations of our fans."
Looking forward to the new season, Wu Lei said: "We are eager to continue to compete for the title. The new coach has brought new ideas and tactics, and the integration is getting better during the winter training. Although we lost the Super Cup, we still showed some strength. I have full confidence in the team and believe that as the league progresses, the team will work better together. It's very challenging for a Chinese Super League team to win the AFC Champions League, but I still want to help the team to go further in the AFC Champions League. As I get older, my role will change. There are a lot of potential stars in the team and I would like to help guide them and pass on my experience, which is what I am striving for."
On the policy of bringing in more foreign aid, Wu Lei said, "Adding foreign aid can improve the pace of the game and the strength of the team, and inspire domestic players to compete. It requires us to work tirelessly in training to stay in shape and compete with the foreigners. This is good for the whole league, and raising the overall tempo will positively affect domestic players."
In the Asian Cup, China's national soccer team failed to win, particles, and finally eliminated. Wu Lei said: "In the Asian Cup, I obviously feel the progress of other Asian teams, their playing style closely follow the world trend. If we stagnate, the gap with our opponents will become bigger and bigger. We must face up to the fact that the current level can no longer be ranked in the second position in Asia."
However, Wu Lei remains confident about the upcoming 36-team tournament: "Reaching the 18-team tournament is a mission we must fulfill. We are confident that we will perform well in the four world qualifiers in March and June to achieve our goal. We will work together and keep our feet on the ground, and I believe the rise of Chinese soccer is just around the corner.
