On January 3, 2024, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) released a series of heavyweight policies, among which the adjustment of the registration status of naturalized players attracted particular attention. The new rules stipulate that naturalized players will be treated the same as domestic players and enjoy the same treatment in transfer and registration procedures, a move that breaks the previous boundaries.
In retrospect, Chen Xuyuan's policy against Guangzhou Evergrande had stipulated that only naturalized players with bloodlines could be counted as local players for registration, while naturalized players without bloodlines had to be naturalized for five years before they could be registered. This policy limited the play of naturalized players to a certain extent and affected the use of naturalized players by national team coaches.
Among them, Delgado's encounter is ludicrous. After naturalization in China, he was unable to register as a local player and continued to play as a foreigner in Portugal. Fans have chortled as if all the world's leagues are foreign aiders. Chen Xuyuan's move not only killed the national football team's naturalization policy, but also left the league in a fog, and he himself profited from it.
Now that Chen Xuyuan is about to face justice, the sinner of Chinese soccer will finally get his due punishment. Chinese men's football sees hope for a rise, and major clubs will be more careful in choosing naturalized players. Although Chinese Super League teams may not be able to compete with leagues such as Brazil in terms of financial strength, there are still many players willing to join China, after all, the treatment is much higher than in Brazil.
We should not underestimate the monetary power of the Chinese Super League teams, nor should we overestimate the monetary lure of other players. Getting 1 million at home and 3 million in China is a leapfrog promotion that is extremely attractive to players. Of course, some may question the strength of these naturalized players, but I just want to say that they are certainly better than the local players who cannot hold up a wall. With our current youth training capabilities, it's hard for young players to carry the load.
Now that the registration policy for naturalized players has been liberalized, this is a good thing for all teams and the Chinese men's soccer team. We have to eliminate the tragedy of Delgado in the league, and playing for the national team is a limitation of the individual player's ability and FIFA's policy. We should do well for ourselves before thinking about anything else. We are looking forward to more naturalized players, and the national football team's naturalization policy has not come to an end. The fact that the FA is willing to liberalize registration is certainly a positive sign.
