Steeled for an almighty challenge

Under head coach Shui, who took the reins in 2021, Team China won the Asian Cup in February 2022, ending a 16-year wait for that trophy. Five months later, China emerged victorious at the East Asian Football Championship.

However, the Steel Roses are all too aware that those triumphs are no guarantee of a deep run at the World Cup.

"We want to show the world what the true Steel Roses spirit is," said 33-year-old captain Wang Shanshan.

"Actually, all of us know how hard this World Cup could be for Team China. But besides all those factors that are out of our control, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. We need to analyze all our rivals and prepare as best as possible.

"After all, there are still many things that we can control. We need to maintain a positive mindset and put in the hard work. That's how we can produce the best results."

Wang Shanshan is also keen to cap her third World Cup appearance with a run in the knockout stages.

"This will probably be my last World Cup, so for sure I'd love to have a deep run with Team China. So I will fight for every point, match by match," she added.

While Team China has been overtaken by European nations in recent years, that sense of pride in wearing the jersey has never diminished.

"The sense of responsibility matters a lot," said midfielder Yao Wei.

"Head coach Shui has given us confidence. She wants us to believe in ourselves so we can achieve big. We have trained hard and are studying our opponents, and I hope to shoulder more responsibilities on the pitch."

Team China will play friendlies against Brazil and Colombia to complete its preparations.