The Chinese Football Association (CFA) is focusing its investment on the country's U23 players in preparation for the 19th Asian Games, which will be held on home soil.
Many Chinese players do not want to participate in the 19th Asian Games.
The CFA sees the upcoming tournament as an opportunity for Chinese football to revive itself after years of decline.
But the CFA's ambitions were immediately dampened when many young players refused to join the Chinese U23 team.
Chinese media have not yet revealed the specific players who are unwilling to contribute to the Chinese U23 team at the 19th Asian Games.
However, according to Sohu, these players' refusal to join the national team is entirely justified.
China's leading sports newspaper analyzed: "In the Olympic team, there has long been a trend of members not wanting to be called up."
The Asian Games are not affiliated with FIFA and their schedule clashes with the Chinese Super League (China's national football league). This naturally leads to players not paying attention to it.
"Players' incomes are directly linked to playing for their clubs, so it's clear they lack the motivation to serve the national team."
Another reason is that in recent years, Chinese national teams at all levels have not won any significant titles.
Furthermore, after each defeat, the players become targets of criticism, so they feel "afraid whenever they are called up to the national team."
At the 19th Asian Games, China was in a relatively easy group with three weaker opponents: Bangladesh, Myanmar, and India.
Meanwhile, Vietnam is in Group B with Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Mongolia.
This is one of the two toughest groups in ASIAD 19 (alongside Group E, which includes Thailand, South Korea, Bahrain, and Kuwait).
The men's football tournament at the 19th Asian Games will take place from September 19th to October 7th in China.
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