Steeled for a big challenge
Team China’s youthful squad aims to build on Asian title with strong show at Women’s World Cup
Primed to face Euro 2022 champion England and a highly rated Denmark, Team China is under no illusions about the massive challenges that await at the forthcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Steel Roses, though, have vowed to play with the same spirit and courage that have made them such firm favorites with Chinese soccer fans through the decades.
“The coaching team is trying to adjust the team to its best form and give the players confidence. We are facing very tough challenges at the World Cup, but we have to display our skills and show our spirit on the pitch,” Team China head coach Shui Qingxia told reporters before leaving for Australia.
“I know that people have high expectations for us, and this is great recognition for Team China. We need to have goals and we need to fight hard for them. We’ll have to fight for qualification from the group stage, and we are aiming to make the quarterfinals.
“The World Cup is a very different event compared with the Asian tournaments. We have many younger players in this squad who will debut at this World Cup. So there are many uncertainties for us. But I believe we will bravely face all the challenges that come our way — and with big smiles on our faces. I believe this is what fans want to see from Team China.”
China’s 23-player World Cup squad is still heavily reliant on veterans Wang Shuang, formerly of Paris SaintGermain and currently at Racing Louisville in the US, and captain Wang Shanshan.
They are among six stalwarts to have played at two World Cups before, while three others in the team have one World Cup under their belt — the 2019 edition in France. The remainder of the squad will be making their World Cup debuts Down Under, where the action runs from July 20 to August 20.
Team China kicks off its Group D campaign against Denmark on July 22 before taking on Haiti six days later, and England on Aug 1. An expanded format features eight groups of four, with the top two sides from each pool qualifying for the knockout stages.
With China’s chances of earning any points against England considered slim, a victory or a draw against Denmark is seen as key to the Steel Roses’ chances of progressing from the group.
“The first match will be crucial, but I told my players that they need to approach it with a calm mindset. With the right mentality, we can show our true level of play. Then we should be more united than ever and get the job done,” Shui said.
“Many of the Danish players are with top clubs in Europe. So in terms of their individual abilities, they are above us. But it doesn’t mean that we have no chance to win and I hope we can.”
Shui also cautioned against underestimating Haiti.
“We are not very familiar with Haiti, and we can only gauge them based on videos we’ve watched of them. We are continuing to analyze them, but we understand they are very fast and physical.
“As for taking on England — well, everyone knows they are one of the world’s top teams. They are very strong overall. So we need to carefully prepare for all the group-stage matches, and we will try to do our best to get the right results.”
The Steel Roses finished runnersup at the 1999 Women’s World Cup, but with the rapid development of European teams over the past two decades, Team China is no longer a dominant force in the game. At the last World Cup in 2019, China was eliminated in the round of 16.
Under head coach Shui, who took * the reins in 2021, Team China won the Asian Cup in February 2022, ending a 16-year wait for that trophy. Five months later, China emerged victorious at the East Asian Football Championship.
However, the Steel Roses are all too aware that those triumphs are no guarantee of a deep run at the World Cup.
“We want to show the world what the true Steel Roses spirit is,” said 33-year-old captain Wang Shanshan.
“Actually, all of us know how hard this World Cup could be for Team China. But besides all those factors that are out of our control, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. We need to analyze all our rivals and prepare as best as possible.
“After all, there are still many things that we can control. We need to maintain a positive mindset and put in the hard work. That’s how we can produce the best results.”
Wang Shanshan is also keen to cap her third World Cup appearance with a run in the knockout stages.
“This will probably be my last World Cup, so for sure I’d love to have a deep run with Team China. So I will fight for every point, match by match,” she added.
While Team China has been overtaken by European nations in recent years, that sense of pride in wearing the jersey has never diminished.
“The sense of responsibility matters a lot,” said midfielder Yao Wei.
“Head coach Shui has given us confidence. She wants us to believe in ourselves so we can achieve big. We have trained hard and are studying our opponents, and I hope to shoulder more responsibilities on the pitch.”
After playing Brazil on July 13, Team China will meet Colombia on July 16 to complete its World Cup preparations.