Nico's natural choice: China

Thursday's pioneering call-up of London-born Nico Yennaris to the Chinese national squad underlines the country's desperate pursuit of a World Cup appearance, but insiders remain cautious on the quick fix.

After making history as the first player to appear in China's top league as a naturalized citizen, Yennaris, a former Arsenal youth team midfielder, is again in the global spotlight after being named to a 24-player Team China roster by head coach Marcello Lippi as part of the country's 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

The enlistment means the Chinese Football Association, with support from Yennaris' Chinese Super League club Beijing Guo'an, has completed the paperwork required by governing body FIFA to make the 26-year-old eligible to represent his mother's homeland internationally.

Known in China as 'Li Ke' for the similar pronunciation to Nico, Yennaris said it's a milestone moment in his career to have his name emblazoned on the Team Dragon shirt.

"It's an honor to be selected for Team China," Yennaris posted in English on his Sina Weibo account on Thursday.

"I am looking forward to putting on the jersey and representing my country."

Yennaris, born in London to a Chinese mother and a Cypriot father, had to cede his British citizenship in order to complete a February transfer to Guo'an from Brentford, a West London club in England's third tier.

He was designated as a domestic import because China does not permit dual citizenship.

Once reluctant to draft foreign-born players to bolster its soccer program through naturalization, China is now embracing the controversial move with a group of Chinese heritage players, including Yennaris, his Guo'an teammate John Hou Saeter, a former Norwegian midfielder, and British-Chinese defender Tyias Browning on CSL giant Guangzhou Evergrande. All got the green light for club-level action after changing nationality before the current CSL season.

Despite concerns over public acceptance, the measure has provided Yennaris and his peers opportunities to realize World Cup dreams that were almost impossible anywhere else.

"If I can help get the Chinese national team to the World Cup it would be a dream," Yennaris told British newspaper The Mirror.

"There's some really good talent over here, but they probably don't get seen as they would in Europe. Hopefully we can come together with the national team and do something special," added Yennaris, who is now taking Chinese language lessons, learning the national anthem and brushing up on the nation's history.

He came through the youth ranks at Arsenal, but made only one Premier League appearance before moving to third-tier Brentford in 2014.

With qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar the top priority in a soccer reform launched by the central government in 2015, the nod to using naturalized players internationally from authorities beyond the CFA has been interpreted by media as a major incentive for Lippi's return.