List of Chinese naturalized footballers

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Chinese naturalized footballers are association football players originally from another country who changed [Note 1] their nationality to Chinese (People's Republic of China) via naturalization.

Contents

History

Born in 1990 in Shanghai to a Tanzanian father and Chinese mother, Eddy Francis made one appearance for the China national under-14 football team in 2004. This was the first time a multiracial player has appeared for a China national football team of any level. [1]

Since 2019, China had begun a series of naturalization on foreign-based players in order to improve the China national team's fortunes, with the naturalization of Nico Yennaris, an English-born Cypriot and Chinese player. [2] After the naturalization of Yennaris, China continued its naturalization process, with Tyias Browning, another English-born player with Chinese ancestry, being naturalized. [3] Subsequently, Elkeson, a Brazilian player with no Chinese ancestry, was naturalized to become the 90th Brazilian who chose to represent another team outside Brazil. [4]

List of naturalized footballers

The following is a list of notable Chinese naturalized footballers. Footballers who have non-Chinese descent but likely had Chinese nationality at birth (e.g. Eddy Francis) or who are not notable, do not appear in the list.

If the player has previously participated in official matches on behalf of other national teams, he will still not be able to play for the Chinese national team after acquiring or restoring Chinese nationality. However, he can participate in Chinese football competitions as a domestic player.

Origin name
(Chinese name)
BornOrigin nationNaturalizedEligible
for China
Chinese
ancestry
Reason of naturalizationNotes
John Hou Sæter
(Hou Yongyong)
1998Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2019Green check.svgGreen check.svgBorn in Trondheim to a Norwegian father and a Chinese mother.
His ancestral home is in Luoyang, Henan.
[5]
Alexander N'Doumbou
(Qian Jiegei)
1992Flag of Gabon.svg  Gabon 2019Red x.svgGreen check.svgBorn in Port-Gentil to a Gabonese father and a Chinese mother.
His ancestral home is in Zhejiang.
[6]
Nico Yennaris
(Li Ke)
1993Flag of England.svg  England 2019Green check.svgGreen check.svgBorn in Leytonstone to a Cypriot father and a mother of Chinese origin.
His ancestral home is in Guangdong.
[7]
Pedro Delgado
(De'erjiaduo)
1997Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 2019Green check.svgRed x.svgUnknown; no Chinese ancestry. [8]
Elkeson
(Ai Kesen)
1989Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 2019Green check.svgRed x.svgSettled in China for a long time; no Chinese ancestry. [9]
Tyias Browning
(Jiang Guangtai)
1994Flag of England.svg  England 2019Green check.svgGreen check.svgBorn in Liverpool to a mother of Chinese origin.
His ancestral home is in Jiangmen, Guangdong.
[10]
Aloísio dos Santos Gonçalves
(Luo Guofu)
1988Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 2019Green check.svgRed x.svgSettled in China for a long time; no Chinese ancestry. [11]
Alan Carvalho
(A Lan)
1989Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 2019Green check.svgRed x.svgSettled in China for a long time; no Chinese ancestry. [12]
Ricardo Goulart
(Gao Late)
1991Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 2019–2021Red x.svgRed x.svgSettled in China for a long time; no Chinese ancestry.
Renunciated Chinese nationality in late 2021.
[13]
Fernandinho
(Fei Nanduo)
1993Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 2020Green check.svgRed x.svgSettled in China for a long time; no Chinese ancestry. [14]
Roberto Siucho
(Xiao Taotao)
1997Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 2020–2023Red x.svgGreen check.svgBorn in Lima to a father of Chinese origin.
His ancestral home is in Zhongshan, Guangdong.
Renunciated Chinese nationality in early 2023.
[15]

See also

Notes

  1. Chinese nationals cannot have dual nationality according to the law.

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References

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  2. "From Nico Yennaris to Li Ke: The name change fuelling Chinese dreams". TheGuardian.com . July 2019.
  3. "Can China win the World Cup with a handful of naturalized players?".
  4. "Brazilian-born striker set to play for China".
  5. 独家重磅!国安引归化球员取实质进展 签2人创历史. Sina. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
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  9. "Brazil-born Elkeson included in China squad in landmark move". CNA . 18 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
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  12. "归化球员的2019:生涯转折点 六大归化全面退步".
  13. "China's National Soccer Team Accepts First Naturalized Citizen". 30 May 2019.
  14. "Footballzz profile". Footballzz. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
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