Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

New naturalized player Sai ­Erjiniao (Serginho) and two U-20 players who were called up to join China's 27-man roster on Sunday for the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers are set to inject fresh vitality and bring more possibilities to the Chinese national football team.

Sai, the 30-year-old Brazil-born midfielder currently playing for Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League, obtained Chinese nationality earlier in March. He has now been called up by China's head coach Branko Ivankovic for the first time and is likely to make his official debut for China in the coming World Cup Asian qualifiers.

China will face Saudi Arabia in an away game on Thursday local time in the seventh round of the Group C fixtures of the World Cup qualifiers, followed by a home game against Australia on March 25 in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province.

The new addition is expected to bolster China's midfield with Sai's experience and technical skills, potentially enhancing the team's creativity and control during these crucial matches, Liu Yu, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times. 

Sai will play a crucial role in the midfield under Ivankovic, helping to alleviate the Chinese team's long-standing weakness of easily losing possession in high-intensity matches and providing more attacking options, Liu said, adding that Sai has demonstrated his immediate impact during the recent friendly match against Kuwait. 

In the closed-door friendly in Dubai on Sunday, China defeated Kuwait 3-1. Sai, formerly known as Serginho, came on as a second-half substitute and delivered several telling passes to his teammates. His performance was widely praised by the coaching staff and his teammates, according to CCTV News. 

Luo Le, a sports scholar at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, told the Global Times that there is no doubt that Sai's individual ability and technique can create more possibilities to China's midfield.

It will be interesting to see how he can build chemistry with other players within a short time, finding mutual understanding, and fully unlock his contribution to the team, Luo noted. 

Before departing for Saudi Arabia, Ivankovic told CCTV News that he looked forward to seeing the players showcase their training efforts in the coming matches. 

"I'm very happy that Serginho can join us. He hasn't played in a match for a long time and has also dealt with injuries in the past. I hope he can integrate into our team quickly, and I'll do my utmost to maximize his value," said the coach.

During the warm-up match against Kuwait, two young players Wang Yudong and Liu Chengyu, who made their mark in the U-20 Asian Cup in February, both received around 20 minutes of play time. The two youths also made it onto the roster for the first time.

As for young players like Wang and Liu, their energy and enthusiasm are exactly what the Chinese national team currently needs. They have the potential to bring a different kind of dynamism to the game. The addition of such young talents not only increases the team's competitiveness but also helps boost overall morale, providing more flexibility and vitality, Luo said.   

"For this roster selection, I prioritized the players' performance in the league. Wang Yudong and Liu Chengyu each have their own strengths, they can meet the tactical demands, and they also represent the future of Chinese football," said Ivankovic.

Their inclusion shows that Ivankovic is not just letting them "warm the bench," but rather hopes that these young players can quickly experience and adapt to the national team's preparation, ultimately becoming new and reliable forces that the team can look forward to and trust, according to CCTV News.

Despite winning the golden boot and player of the season in the 2024 Norwegian second division, Hou Yongyong, another naturalized player, missed out on the roster.

The addition of U-20 standouts underlines the Chinese team's commitment to nurturing homegrown talents and striking a balance between relying on naturalized players and sustainable growth. 

With four rounds remaining, China currently has six points, tied with Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and is just one point behind second-placed Australia in the tightly contested Group C. Japan leads the group with 16 points. The top two from the group will qualify for the World Cup finals while the third- and fourth-placed teams will advance to the next stage of qualifiers.

Sai's playmaking ability, coupled with the integration of young talents in the 27-man roster for the qualifiers, could inject fresh energy and offer new possibilities in attacking options as China fights for a spot in the next stage if it doesn't gain direct entry to the World Cup.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn