Nico Yennaris becomes first-ever foreign-born player to play for China

Beijing Guoan midfielder Nico Yennaris has become the first ever neutralised player to put on a Chinese national side shirt, after playing a friendly against the Philippines on Friday.

China boss Marcello Lippi gave the 26-year-old his debut in against the Philippines, in the first of two pre-EAFF East Asian Cup matches, with the final one being when they host Tajikistan.

In an interview after the game the former Arsenal academy graduate said:

“It’s a very proud moment for me. I learnt the national anthem when I first came so it’s step by step.

I’ll continue my studies and hopefully in a few months I’ll be able to do an interview in Chinese maybe.”

Yennaris, who joined Chinese Super League leaders Beijing Guoan in February, had qualified to play for  China through his mother, which lead to the switch from England to China as the side he would represent.

The match in Guangzhou, ended 2-0 with China winning after goals from Wu Xi and Zhang Xizhe, the earlier scoring before the break.

The midfielder played 55 minutes before making way for club team-mate Zhongguo Chi. So far this season the newly capped Chinese footballer has played nine times, scoring twice.

After the popularity of the newly neutralised player, manager Lippi is looking to convince a number of other foreign-born stars playing in China to make the switch to his national team.

Those rumoured are Brazilian forwards Elkeson and Ricardo Goulart with the hope that both will be able to make the squad for 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

There is still serious scepticism from Chinese football fans over neutralised players playing for China as they don’t have the ancestry, so all eyes will be on Yennaris as he could pave the way for more foreign-born players to feature for the Asian side.