Chinese U21 Men’s Football Team Prepares for Changsha International Football Invitational Tournament

Changsha, September 3 (Xinhua) — The 2024 Chinese Football Association China Team Changsha International Football Invitational Tournament is set to kick off at the Changsha He Long Sports Center on September 4. Antonio Pucci, head coach of the Chinese U21 National Men’s Football Team, emphasized that the team’s first training match will focus on observing players and running-in the lineup, with the goal of injecting fresh blood into the development of Chinese football.

The Chinese Football Association recently announced the appointment of Antonio as the head coach of the Chinese U21 National Men’s Football Team (2003 age group), following an open recruitment. This move aims to further prepare the team for the 2025 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers and the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games. The Changsha International Football Invitational Tournament marks the first public appearance of the newly formed U21 men’s football team.

According to Antonio, the new U21 men’s football team consists of some former U20 players, but mostly new faces. He hopes that through the first training camp and competition, the team can better integrate tactics and technology. Antonio has previously coached the Chinese U15 and U20 men’s football teams, leading the U20 team to the quarterfinals of the U20 Asian Cup in March 2023.

Players such as Ai Feiding and Chen Zhexuan, who performed well in the U20 Asian Cup, have been recruited by Antonio again for the U21 team. Ai Feiding expressed his enthusiasm for working with Coach Antonio again and hopes that the new team can quickly gel and perform well in the Changsha Four Nations Tournament.

Chen Zhexuan noted that Antonio has introduced new requirements for the team, which will be evident in their gameplay. Antonio emphasized the importance of integrating newcomers into the team, bringing fresh blood and promoting the development of Chinese football.

The Chinese U21 men’s football team will face off against the Vietnam U21 team on September 4, followed by matches against the Malaysia U20 team on September 7 and the Uzbekistan U21 team on September 10.

Match Schedule:

• September 4: Chinese U21 vs. Vietnam U21
• September 7: Chinese U21 vs. Malaysia U20
• September 10: Chinese U21 vs. Uzbekistan U21