Success more than nationalizing players

REPORTEDLY, China intends to naturalize Brazilian strikers Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso and Ricardo Goulart Pereira to help the country reach the finals of the FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar in 2022. China Daily reporter Li Yang comments:

The two Brazilian footballers have played for clubs in Guangzhou and Shanghai for several years and are popular among Chinese fans. Both have shown a positive attitude toward playing for China, whose national team desperately needs some firepower up front.

Despite this, their proposed naturalization has divided opinion. Some opponents to the move say they cannot accept foreign faces in the national team.