Wu Lei's name is on the list of candidates, even though he has never held the title of captain of the national team, and even at the club level, he has seldom assumed this important role. However, in the world of Chinese soccer, his reputation and influence is as stellar as any other. It is only right to call him the top star of Chinese men's soccer. When it comes to Asian soccer, he is the representative of Chinese men's football, and he is the symbol of our country's soccer. Therefore, if Ivankovic thinks Wu Lei is good enough to be the captain of the national team, I'm afraid he won't meet with widespread disagreement.
Third on the list is none other than Yan Junling. The goalkeeper has been an evergreen tree since the Lippi era, and has been the first choice for the national team, whether it be Lippi, Li Tie or Jankovic. In stark contrast to the fiery Wang Dalei, Yan Junling is known for his solidity. Although slightly inferior to Wang Dalei in certain technical details, he is undoubtedly the top choice when it comes to stability. Yan Junling has been the national team's goalkeeper for nine consecutive years, since he first became the national soccer team's starting goalkeeper in 2015. It would seem reasonable for such a calm and collected leader to be named captain.
Ivankovic will undoubtedly pick the new captain among these three top internationals. After weighing up the options, I firmly believe that Zhang Linpeng will be the right choice to replace Wu Xi, as he best meets all the requirements to become the new captain of the national team. If you have any doubts, let's see how the future unfolds.
