The draw for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers for the Asian round of 18 was released this afternoon. The Chinese men's national football team in Pot 5 ended up in Group C with Japan in Pot 1, Australia in Pot 2, Saudi Arabia in Pot 3, Bahrain in Pot 4 and Indonesia in Pot 6.
Before the game, many people analyzed how the national football team could draw the lottery, and in fact, which group the national football team was placed in was the lottery for the other teams in the group. Although there is a suspicion of "raising the morale of others and destroying their own prestige", the national football team, which barely entered the top 18 by relying on the outstanding performance of Singapore goalkeeper Sonny, is currently at such a level, and it is not okay not to admit it.
Grouping
Judging from the grouping, the national football team is in Group C, avoiding the two nemesis South Korea and Iran, which is already relatively lucky. But we can't help but treat Japan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia as the same thing. Looking back on the record of the national football team and the opponents in the same group in the past 20 years:
vs. Japan: 0 wins, 5 draws, 7 losses;
vs. Australia: 5 wins, 2 draws, 7 losses;
vs. Saudi Arabia: 5 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses;
vs. Bahrain: 2 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses;
Against Indonesia: 6 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss.
From this, we can see that if the national football team wants to qualify directly, it must squeeze out Australia and Saudi Arabia. The difficulty can be imagined. I don't say that I will squeeze out Japan, because Japan is basically worry-free in qualifying, and the national football team does not dare to expect extravagance. Judging from the record of the national football team with Australia and Saudi Arabia, it may still be possible to squeeze out Saudi Arabia, and it is unlikely that it will squeeze out Australia. Therefore, the realistic goal of the national football team should be to strive for 3rd or 4th place in the group and qualify for the play-offs. Of course, if you can create a miracle, it would be best to finish in the top two of the group stage.
The starting lineup of the national football team
How do you ensure or maintain your hopes of qualifying for the World Cup? I think for now, we still have a gap between us and the top teams in Asia in terms of technical and tactical level. If you want to make up for this gap and not be kicked out early, you need strong willpower to bless it. And this willpower is: the spirit of the bright sword!
When Li Yunlong faced the Bantian United, he heard his subordinates report that the opposite side was elite, and then said a famous sentence: What TMD elite? Lao Tzu is fighting the elite.
The group opponents faced by the national football team, like Li Yunlong, are also surrounded by strong opponents and are extremely dangerous. If we want to break through in the group, we must show the spirit of the bright sword that is not afraid of strong enemies, dare to fight, dare to fight and move forward bravely. Because we can enter the round of 18, we have already overfulfilled the task, and we can completely put down our psychological baggage and fight in the group stage later. The majority of netizens said well, give it a go, and turn a bicycle into a motorcycle.
Fight for China
In addition, Li Yunlong also summarized the spirit of the bright sword in his graduation thesis, that is: the brave wins when they meet on a narrow road! We ourselves can underestimate the national football team, but as our opponents, they dare not underestimate the enemy. For the rest of the group in the group, everyone is on a narrow path, and no team can guarantee that they will make it to the World Cup without much effort.
Therefore, the national football team must also have the temperament of the brave who meets on a narrow road. Perhaps, just when everyone does not have any hope of qualifying, the door of the US-Canada-Mexico World Cup is slowly opening for the national football team. If you ask me, it's nothing, because football is round, anything is possible!