The drums of war are about to beat for the 13th World Cup, and the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico will welcome 48 giants, and the stage for Asian soccer will be expanded from the original 5.5 seats to 8.5.
On Nov. 16, China's national soccer team will embark on its first away game of the 36-team Asian qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup when it faces Thailand. Immediately following that, the team will have its first world qualifier at home on Nov. 21, when it faces South Korea in Shenzhen.
The national soccer team is in a group with South Korea, Thailand and Singapore and must secure the second spot in the group in order to successfully advance.
As a new chapter of the World Cup cycle is about to start, Wu Lei, the main striker of Shanghai Port and also the captain of the Chinese men's national soccer team, was interviewed by CCTV Sports Channel. Wu Lei said frankly that although the strength of the national team is not superior in Asia at present and has declined compared with the past, it does not mean that the team will give up or lose confidence. Facing any opponent, the team will do its best.
Talking about being the captain of the National Football League:
Wu Lei: "This is my first time to be the captain, first of all, I would like to thank the head coach and teammates for their trust. The moment I put on the captain's armband, I knew I was shouldering a heavier responsibility. The national team is in a critical period of transition between the old and the new, and there are a lot of young players who need guidance, and as a veteran, I am duty-bound. Whether it's the tactical execution on the pitch or the management of daily life, I have to take more responsibility."
Dreams about the World Cup:
Wu Lei: "We always harbor the dream of hitting the World Cup, and despite the current decline in strength, we will never give up or lose confidence. No matter who the opponent is, we have to go all out. This is not only the goal of our team, but also the realistic needs of Chinese soccer. We have to fight hard in the world qualifiers and inject more confidence into Chinese soccer."
On May 30, 2021, the national football team defeated Guam by a 7-0 margin. Wu Lei shone in the match.
What it's like to win the CFL:
Wu Lei: "The moment we won the championship, it was an overwhelming feeling to celebrate with the fans. I then traveled to Dalian to witness the trophy in person. Twice I lifted the trophy and twice I took pictures. Winning the title this time made me feel even happier and more excited than I did in 2018, perhaps because growing older has made me more emotional. This is my first full season back in Hong Kong and it was very rewarding to win the title with my teammates and staff."
The battle for the Golden Boot with Lennardo:
Wu Lei: "In the middle and late stages of the league, I didn't think too much about the Golden Boot. I was fully committed to the game and just wanted to win the title. As a matter of fact, the team encountered some difficulties in the late stage and their performance declined. At that time, we were under great pressure and I didn't think too much about it personally. In fact, in the last round, I never thought I could catch Lennardo. Looking back, I scored two goals in the last round and ended up one goal short of Lennardo. I do have some regrets from this result."
Wu Lei, Yan Junling, Zhang Linpeng, Wang Shenchao, Lu Wenjun and Cai Huikang, the "Six Tigers of Chongming", put the league championship medal on the neck of their mentor Xu Genbao and bowed to thank him.
Visiting his mentor Xu Genbao after winning the championship:
Woolley: "It wasn't an idea on the night of the championship. We planned it a month or two ago. At that time, I thought the championship would come earlier. Because from the trend of the league, we had a big advantage. We were more than ten points ahead. We agreed that as soon as we won the championship, we would immediately go to Chongming to visit Director Xu."
On the birth of a third child this year:
Wu Lei: "I'm happy that my sister is here and she has brought me luck. This year's league title may have something to do with that as well. I grew up leaving my family to study and play soccer at the Chongming base. I probably crave more the feeling and atmosphere that my family brings to me. Whenever I have time off, I will be with my family. In the past, when there were matches in Spain, I would take my kids to the field and I wanted to create a soccer atmosphere for them as well."
Spanish player Wu Lei celebrates scoring a goal during a match on April 10th. On the same day, the Spaniard beat Celta 1-0 at home in the 31st round of the 2021-2022 season of Spain's Primera Liga. AFP Release (Photo by Juan Gosa)
About the old owner, Spaniards:
Wu Lei: "I've been following the Spaniards. Now they are in the Spanish B League. I also watch their matches and highlights and follow their ranking in the table. I spent three years of my career in Spain, which is a valuable experience for any athlete. I feel very lucky for that."
