Wu Lei to return to China for FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Chinese football star Wu Lei will return to the Chinese men's national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers which are scheduled to kick off later this month.

Despite that the 29-year-old forward did not get any starting chance for the Barcelona-based second-tier club so far this year, he helped his club Espanyol win promotion to Spain's La Liga with a 0-0 draw against Real Zaragoza last Saturday.

Wu, who has been absent from the Chinese national team since November 2019, is listed on the 26-man roster unveiled by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Monday. Espanyol said Wu will leave the club after its match against FC Cartagena on Friday.

A screenshot of Wu Lei's Weibo post on May 9 about his excitement over Espanyol's promotion to La Liga. He says,"We are back. It feels great! A Primera." /Wu Lei

According to the CFA, five naturalized players - Ai Kesen, Alan, Fei Nanduo, Jiang Guangtai and Li Ke – have been called up to the national team. Head coach Li Tie and his players will assemble for a training camp in Shanghai starting from Friday.

Team China will play against Guam, Maldives, the Philippines and Syria in succession in the remaining Asian Group A World Cup qualifiers, which will be held in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, from May 30 to June 15.

China are currently eight points adrift of group leaders Syria and only lead the third-placed Philippines on goal difference.

China's naturalized footballers Li Ke, Luo Guofu and Ai Kesen (L to R) during a training with national football team in Shanghai, China, May 11, 2020. /CFP

China squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Liu Dianzuo, Yan Junling, Zeng Cheng, Dong Chunyu

Defenders: Jiang Guangtai, Zhang Linpeng, Yu Dabao, Li Lei, Wang Shenchao, Li Ang, Tang Miao, Ming Tian

Midfielders: Zhang Xizhe, Chi Zhongguo, Li Ke, Hao Junmin, Jin Jingdao, Wu Xinghan, Wu Xi, Yin Hongbo

Forwards: Ai Kesen, Alan, Wei Shihao, Fei Nanduo, Zhang Yuning, Wu Lei

(With input from Xinhua)