Norwegian-born John Hou Saeter becomes China’s first naturalized football player

[beijingwalker]

Norwegian-born John Hou Saeter becomes China’s first naturalized football player, welcome to my team, welcomg to BEIJING

Will naturalizing players be enough to save China's national football team?
by Alex Linder

February 14, 2019

A Norwegian-born football player has become the first foreign player to ever be naturalized as a Chinese citizen.

John Hou Saeter, 21, was born to a Chinese mother and Norwegian father. In January, he transferred over from Norway’s top professional football league to Beijing Sinobo Guoan of the Chinese Super League. His Chinese name is Hou Yongyong.

Chinese state media report that Hou received his Chinese ID card on Tuesday. Once he receives his Chinese passport, he will become eligible to play on China’s national team, fulfilling one of his mother’s dreams for him while giving up his Norwegian nationality.

China’s national football team, of course, needs all the help that it can get, not having qualified for a World Cup since 2002, and the naturalization of foreign-born players may be one avenue for improvement.

In Beijing, Hou plays alongside another candidate for naturalization in Nico Yennaris (Li Ke), a 25-year-old defensive midfielder who was born in London to Cypriot father and Chinese mother. He played for Arsenal before coming over to China.

https://shanghai.ist/2019/02/14/nor...mes-chinas-first-naturalized-football-player/

 

[beijingwalker]

This year my team bought many very young promising players, looking forward to the 2019 Chinese premier league.

Two Uyghur young football stars join Beijing Guoan club
Born in 2001, 乃比江 Nabi jaan ن is the Capitain of the Chinese national U17 team, 艾散Ahsan ا plays in the Chinese national U19 team. Wish them the best in Beijing, hopefully our team can win the Chinese Premiere 2019

 

[oprih]

He's half-Chinese, it's no big deal. My country's national basketball team are full of Fil-ams while are national football team are full of half europeans.

 

[Raphael]

Good to see when we naturalize foreign talent, we select those who have racial/ethnic affinity to us.

Even though the French recently won the World Cup, can they really be proud? Their team looked nothing like real French people. It's like a bunch of frogs hired some cats to win a mouse-hunting competition for them. Where's the honor in that?

 

[Jlaw]

He's half-Chinese, it's no big deal. My country's national basketball team are full of Fil-ams while are national football team are full of half europeans.

Exactly what I was going to say. Beijing walker is one of many Chinese with an inferiority complex. May Allah insert a stick of Dynamite up his ***

He's half-Chinese, it's no big deal. My country's national basketball team are full of Fil-ams while are national football team are full of half europeans.

Exactly what I was going to say. Beijing walker is one of many Chinese with an inferiority complex. May Allah insert a stick of Dynamite up his *** .

 

[beijingwalker]

Good to see when we naturalize foreign talent, we select those who have racial/ethnic affinity to us.

Even though the French recently won the World Cup, can they really be proud? Their team looked nothing like real French people. It's like a bunch of frogs hired some cats to win a mouse-hunting competition for them. Where's the honor in that?

Yes, maybe that's the only way to save China's pathetic soccer. Japan did that in 1980's and 1990's.

 

[Place Of Space]

Good to see when we naturalize foreign talent, we select those who have racial/ethnic affinity to us.

Even though the French recently won the World Cup, can they really be proud? Their team looked nothing like real French people. It's like a bunch of frogs hired some cats to win a mouse-hunting competition for them. Where's the honor in that?

The honor is that the Cup is kept in France.

 

[kankan326]

Yes, maybe that's the only way to save China's pathetic soccer. Japan did that in 1980's and 1990's.

I'd rather see Chinas's soccer to stay pathetic than to naturalize non-Chinese players. Being bad at a soccer is not something shameful. Losing faith to their own people is.