Li loving life as China's original import

Li's international debut was a 2-0 friendly victory over the Philippines in June 2019, when Italian Marcello Lippi was still the head coach.

The 27-year-old has since gone on to add four more caps and was recently called up by new Team China head coach Li Tie for a May training camp in Shanghai.

However, Li and the team's second naturalized addition, Brazil-born Ai Kesen (aka Elkeson), have not quite become the game changers that fans had hoped for.

After a damaging defeat to Group A leader Syria last November, China's World Cup qualification chances look slim. Li Tie's men only lead the third-place Philippines on goal difference, and face a tough battle to go through to a second phase of qualifying as one of the four best second-place finishers.

When the qualifiers resume in October, Li is likely to be joined by two or three more naturalized additions－all Guangzhou Evergrande players and who all hail from Brazil. Luo Guofu (aka Aloisio) has already having received his first call-up and coach Li is also eager to include Alan (on loan at Guo'an), while Ricardo Goulart claims he has been granted Chinese citizenship and is "waiting on China's call".