On April 13, when the Brazilian club Gremio held a grand press conference for the naturalized player Aixon, the "Bear" wearing the No. 9 Gremio jersey made his official debut, and his voice was firm, revealing his anticipation for the next year's Asian Cup.
Ackerson, unlike Lo Guofu who previously joined Barclays Premier League's Minero Americas, as the first naturalized player to be called up by the national football team, has become a role model for the most number of appearances for his country among all the naturalized players. Unfortunately, he was unable to score for the team in the Round of 12, and the team was sadly left out of the Qatar World Cup final round.
After the termination of his contract with Guangzhou Football Club at the end of last year, Eckerson chose Brazil as a new starting point. He was eager to continue playing in the Chinese Super League, but fate was against him. After being invited by many Brazilian clubs, Ixon finally chose the old powerhouse Gremio.
At the conference on the 13th, Ackerson once again expressed his loyalty to the Chinese football team, vowing to continue to play for the national team. He said excitedly, "I intend to give my all in the next year's Asian Cup, and I am eager to help the Chinese football. Chinese fans have shown me great love and I hope I can stay in top form at the Asian Cup and help the national team win the title. Even though we failed to step into the World Cup, we still have a chance in the next cycle."
Ackerson, who is about to turn 33, will be 34 by the time the Asian Cup kicks off. From his statement, it can be seen that he has deep feelings for the Chinese football. However, whether or not he can play on behalf of the national soccer team again will depend on the team's future planning and the coach's selection strategy.
