List of Chinese naturalized footballers

Since the year of 2019, to improve the national team, China had begun a series of naturalization on foreign-based players in order to improve the China national team's fortunes, with the naturalization of Nico Yennaris, an English-born Cypriot and Chinese player.[1] After the naturalization of Nico Yennaris, China continued its naturalization process, with Tyias Browning, another English-born Chinese player, being naturalized.[2] Subsequently, Elkeson, a Brazilian player with no Chinese ancestry, was naturalized to become the 90th Brazilian who chose to represent another team outside Brazil.[3]

As of 13 February 2020, 11 footballers have completed the naturalization, successfully changed their nationalities to China.

Naturalized footballers
  • If the player has previously participated in official matches on behalf of other national teams, he will still not be able to play for the Chinese national team after acquiring or restoring Chinese nationality. However, he can participate in Chinese football competitions as a domestic player.
Origin name
(Chinese name)		 Born Origin nation Naturalized Eligible
for China		 Chinese
ancestry		 Reason of naturalization Notes
John Hou Sæter
(Hou Yongyong)		 1998  Norway 2019 TBD Y Born in Trondheim to a Norwegian father and a Chinese mother.
His ancestral home is Luoyang, Henan.		 [4]
Alexander N'Doumbou
(Qian Jiegei)		 1992  Gabon 2019 N Y Born in Port-Gentil to a Gabonese father and a Chinese mother.
His ancestral home is Zhejiang.		 [5]
Nico Yennaris
(Li Ke)		 1993  England 2019 Y Y Born in Leytonstone to a Cypriot father and a mother of Chinese origin.
His ancestral home is Guangdong.		 [6]
Pedro Delgado
(De'erjiaduo)		 1997  Portugal 2019 N N Unknown [7]
Elkeson
(Ai Kesen)		 1989  Brazil 2019 Y N Settled in China for a long time. [8]
Tyias Browning
(Jiang Guangtai)		 1994  England 2019 TBD Y Born in Liverpool to a mother of Chinese origin.
His ancestral home is Jiangmen, Guangdong.		 [9]
Aloísio dos Santos Gonçalves
(Luo Guofu)		 1988  Brazil 2019 Y N Settled in China for a long time. [10]
Alan Carvalho
(A Lan)		 1989  Brazil 2019 Y N Settled in China for a long time. [11]
Ricardo Goulart
(Gao Late)		 1991  Brazil 2019 TBD N Settled in China for a long time. [12]
Fernandinho
(Fei Nanduo)		 1993  Brazil 2020 TBD N Settled in China for a long time. [13]
Roberto Siucho
(Xiao Taotao)		 1997  Peru 2020 TBD Y Born in Lima to a father of Chinese origin.
His ancestral home is Zhongshan, Guangdong.		 [14]

See also

References
  1. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/01/china-football-nico-yennaris-li-ke-marcello-lippi
  2. https://www.inkstonenews.com/sports/can-china-win-world-cup-handful-naturalized-players/article/3017841
  3. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/21/football/elkeson-china-brazil-spt-intl/index.html
  4. 独家重磅!国安引归化球员取实质进展 签2人创历史. Sina. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  5. ""En 2012, je répondrais présent", Alexander Ndoumbou, international gabonais" (in French). Gabonews. 26 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  6. "李可或在春节期间随母返回广东 进行认祖归宗仪式" (in Chinese). 1 February 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  7. "Chinese Super League Pedro Delgado First Non Chinese Player Naturalise". Sina (in Chinese). Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  8. "Brazil-born Elkeson included in China squad in landmark move". CNA. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  9. 布朗宁入籍成功是中国公民 但能否出场需FIFA审核 (in Chinese), from Sina sports, 11 July 2019.
  10. "4名归化球员已入籍，洛国富等5人待办中".
  11. http://www.titan24.com/publish/app/data/2019/12/24/292786/os_news.html
  12. https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1004068/chinas-national-soccer-team-accepts-first-naturalized-citizen
  13. "Footballzz profile". Footballzz. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  14. "百万美元加盟恒大 他会是未来归化最高性价比之人吗". Sina (in Chinese). 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
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