Wu Lei interview: national football is not second-rate in Asia, the new season to strive for good results
In an exclusive interview on February 27, Wu Lei told Xinhua that China's national soccer team is no longer a second-rate division in Asia, and that he is confident about advancing to the 18-team tournament in the future.
Wu Lei recently won the China Golden Ball Award for the fourth time, setting a new record. Talking about his feelings about winning the award, he said excitedly, "I am very happy to win the award again. I remember the first time I won the award, I just arrived in Spain, when Chinese soccer was in an upward trend. Although the soccer environment has not been ideal in recent years, I would like to thank the organizers, judges and fans for their continuous support. Even though the overall situation of Chinese soccer is not good, the organizers still insist on setting a positive example."
Facing the challenges of Chinese soccer, Wu Lei emphasized, "In the face of adversity, it is all the more important for us to persevere and not give up. If practitioners lack confidence, the future of Chinese soccer will be even bleaker. Despite the pressure on the players, we should do our best to show our best form and meet the higher expectations of our fans."
For the new season, Wu Lei is full of confidence: "We certainly hope to continue to compete for the title. The new coach has brought new ideas and tactics, and the team has been working hard during the winter training. Although we lost the Super Cup, we have shown our strength. I have full confidence in the team, and I believe that as the league progresses, the team's overall coordination will be even better. 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. My role will change as I get older. The team has many young players with potential and I would like to assist them and pass on the experience, which is also my goal."
Regarding the policy of using five foreign aiders, Wu Lei said, "Adding foreign aiders can improve the rhythm of the game and the strength of the team, and stimulate competition among domestic players. It requires us to maintain good condition in training and compete with the foreigners for positions. It's a good thing for the league, and raising the overall tempo will positively affect the domestic players."
In the Asian Cup, the Chinese team did not win, did not score, and finally out of the game. Wu Lei frankly said: "in the Asian Cup, I obviously feel the progress of other Asian teams, their soccer playing style closely follow the world trend. If we stagnate, the gap with our rivals will become bigger and bigger. We must recognize that the current level can no longer be ranked in the second position in Asia."
However, in the face of the upcoming 36-team tournament, Wu Lei remains confident of advancing to the 18-team tournament: "This is a mission we have to fulfill. We are confident that we will perform well in the four world qualifying matches in March and June to advance to the 18-team tournament. We will work together and move forward with our feet firmly planted on the ground, believing that the improvement of Chinese soccer is just around the corner.
