Solving the naturalization conundrum

With Team China's squad featuring two foreign-born stars, new CFA proposals look to strike right balance on imports

Ever since Brazil-born Ai Kesen's groundbreaking debut in the red of Team China, debate has raged on the issue of naturalized players in Chinese soccer.

The Guangzhou Evergrande forward, aka Elkeson, became the first player without Chinese heritage to play for the national team in a September World Cup qualifier in the Maldives. He joined England-born Li Ke, who has a mother of Chinese origin, as the squad's second naturalized player.