U23 Chinese National Team: Behind the Runner-up Title Lies a Wave of Youth in the League

Reported by Chen Yong The U23 Chinese National Team’s runner-up finish in the U23 Asian Cup surprised Chinese supporters. A major contributor was the youth surge in China’s third-tier professional league, particularly during the 2025 season.

Among the 23 players, except Wang Bohao who plays for a Dutch second division club, the other 22 all compete domestically in the third-tier professional league. Of these, 17 players (Hu Hetao, Wumitijiang, Mutalifu, Bai Helamu, He Yiran, Wang Yudong, Kuai Jiwen, Xu Bin, Yang Haoyu, Bao Shengxin, Liu Haofan, Peng Xiao, Yang Xi, Zhang Aihui, Li Hao, Mao Weijie, Huo Shenping) mainly played in the Chinese Super League in the 2025 season. Fifteen appeared in matches, with ten becoming regular starters and receiving systematic training.

Additionally, four players (Xiang Yuwang, Li Zhenquan, Bao Shimeng, and Luan Yi) competed in China League One, while one player (Chen Zeshi) was registered in the Super League but mainly played in China League Two.

In this U23 Asian Cup, except for the two goalkeepers Luan Yi and Huo Shenping and winger Mao Weijie, all other 20 players got playing time, including 15 from the Super League. Five players—Hu Hetao, Wumitijiang, Mutalifu, Bai Helamu, and He Yiran—became well-known at a young age, having secured relatively stable playing time in the Super League before the 2025 season. Meanwhile, the other ten Super League players, including Wang Yudong, Xu Bin, Peng Xiao, and Li Hao, received comprehensive development opportunities during the 2025 season.

— Five Experienced Super League Players —

【Hu Hetao】Made his Super League debut in 2022, appearing 23 times with 16 starts, scoring 1 goal and providing 1 assist; experienced fluctuations in 2023; regained stability in 2024 with 16 appearances and 9 starts, scoring 2 goals and assisting once; in 2025, played 21 matches with 19 starts, scoring 1 goal and assisting 3 times.

【Mutalifu】Like Hu Hetao, debuted in the Super League in 2022 with 22 appearances and 14 starts, scoring 3 goals; experienced ups and downs in the next two seasons with 10 appearances (2 starts) and 9 appearances (no starts); in the first half of 2025, played once, then transferred to West Coast where he appeared 12 times with 4 starts and 1 assist in the second half.

【Wumitijiang】Loaned to San Zhen in 2024, playing 17 matches with 11 starts; in 2025, appeared 21 times for Haigang with 19 starts.

【Bai Helamu】Played 21 matches with 10 starts and scored 2 goals for Xin Pengcheng in 2024; in 2025, appeared 18 times with 9 starts.

【He Yiran】In 2022, played 11 matches with 8 starts and provided 1 assist; limited to 1 appearance in 2023; appeared 15 times with 9 starts in 2024; in 2025, played 24 matches with 19 starts and 1 assist.

— 10 Newcomers in the Super League —

【Wang Yudong】Made 4 substitute appearances in 2023; in 2024, played 11 times with 2 starts; truly broke out in 2025 with 28 appearances, 27 starts, 11 goals, and 5 assists, becoming a key player for the national team that year.

【Kuai Jiwen】In the 2025 Super League season, made 18 appearances with 4 starts and provided 5 assists.

【Xu Bin】Represented Guangzhou twice in the Super League in 2022; then played in China League One for two seasons; joined West Coast in 2025, appearing 27 times with 21 starts and 3 assists.

【Yang Haoyu】In 2025, played 22 matches with 8 starts, scoring 3 goals and assisting once.

【Bao Shengxin】Made 3 Super League appearances in 2022 with 1 assist; spent two seasons on loan in China League One with consistent playing time; returned to the Super League in 2025 with 6 appearances and 3 starts.

【Liu Haofan】Played sporadically in the Super League from 2022 to 2024, mainly as a substitute; secured a regular starting spot in 2025 with 27 appearances, all starts.

【Peng Xiao】Debuted in professional football in 2024 with Taishan B team in China League Two, playing 24 matches with 21 starts, scoring 3 goals and assisting once; in the first half of 2025, played 14 matches with 12 starts and scored 6 goals in League Two; in the second half, appeared 11 times with 9 starts in the Super League.

【Yang Xi】Previously played overseas; made his Super League debut in 2025 with 21 appearances and 20 starts, becoming the season’s “tackle king.”

【Zhang Aihui】In 2025, played 12 matches, all starts, and provided 1 assist.

【Li Hao】Made 2 appearances in the West Asian League in 2024; in 2025, started all 29 matches in the Super League.

— 3 Players in China League One —

Besides the 15 players mentioned, three others performed well in China League One during the 2025 season. Xiang Yuwang and Li Zhenquan helped Tongliang Long earn promotion and will compete in the Super League in 2026; Bao Shimeng returned to Haigang for training, with his next destination undecided for the new season.

【Xiang Yuwang】Competed in China League Two in 2023 with 22 appearances and 21 starts, scoring 9 goals and assisting 7 times; played all 27 matches starting in China League One in 2024, scoring 15 goals and assisting 3 times; continued in League One in 2025 with 29 appearances, all starts, 18 goals, and 2 assists.

【Li Zhenquan】In 2023, played 18 matches with 17 starts in League Two, scoring 3 goals and assisting twice; in 2024, appeared 17 times with 12 starts in League One, scoring 2 goals and assisting once; in 2025, continued in League One with 28 appearances, 27 starts, 3 goals, and 3 assists.

【Bao Shimeng】In 2024, appeared 10 times with 1 start for Haigang; in 2025, loaned to Suzhou Dongwu, playing 25 matches with 17 starts in League One, scoring 1 goal and assisting twice.

— Other 5 Players —

Although Chen Zeshi was registered in the Super League, he mainly represented Taishan B team in League Two; Mao Weijie did not play in the U23 Asian Cup; the two backup goalkeepers Luan Yi and Huo Shenping also did not see game time; Wang Bohao plays abroad.

【Chen Zeshi】Made his Super League debut back in 2022; in 2025, appeared once in the Super League but mainly played in League Two, where in 2024 he appeared 23 times with 18 starts, scoring 3 goals and assisting 4 times; in 2025, injury limited him to 8 appearances with 5 starts and 1 goal.

【Mao Weijie】In 2025, appeared 23 times in the Super League with 10 starts, scoring 1 goal and assisting once; was a key player in League Two and League One in 2023 and 2024.

【Luan Yi】In 2025, played 10 matches with 7 starts for Shijiazhuang Kungfu in League One.

【Huo Shenping】Represented Guangzhou in 3 Super League matches in 2022; played 22 matches in League One in both 2023 and 2024; in 2025, appeared twice in the Super League with 1 start.

【Wang Bohao】Plays for Dordrecht in the Dutch second division, appearing 13 times with 6 starts in the 22 rounds completed of the 2025/26 season. Previously, he played for Yanbian Longding and Shaanxi United in China League One.

The playing time of U23 national players in leagues clearly shows that the youth movement in the 2025 Super League season was one of the biggest supports for the U23 team. Notably, 10 players only gained significant experience that season and shone in the U23 Asian Cup. This represents a perfect synergy between the professional leagues and the U23 national team. Additionally, two other phenomena deserve attention.

— Youth Development in Professional Leagues Extending to U21 Players —

Looking at the age distribution of the U23 national team, eight players were born in 2003: Bai Helamu, Hu Hetao, Liu Haofan, Xiang Yuwang, Li Zhenquan, Bao Shimeng, Bao Shengxin, and Huo Shenping; four were born in 2004: Li Hao, Xu Bin, Wumitijiang, and Mutalifu; eight were born in 2005: Peng Xiao, Yang Xi, Chen Zeshi, He Yiran, Wang Bohao, Zhang Aihui, Mao Weijie, and Luan Yi; three were born in 2006: Wang Yudong, Yang Haoyu, and Kuai Jiwen.

In 2025, more U21, U20, and even U19 players began securing starting roles in the leagues. In previous seasons, selecting the best U23 lineup was difficult, but in 2025, even choosing the best U21 lineup was effortless.

Looking ahead, if China’s third-tier professional leagues can extend youth development to U19 players, it will provide greater support for U20 players, which is the direction for the development of the third-tier leagues.

— The Gradual Path from League Two to League One to the Super League —

Many U23 national players directly participate in the Super League, but some have risen step-by-step from League Two or League One.

Defender Peng Xiao played in League Two in both 2024 and the first half of 2025, before establishing himself in the Super League in the latter half of 2025; midfielder Chen Zeshi mainly competed in League Two in the prior two seasons; Mao Weijie, Xiang Yuwang, and Li Zhenquan progressed from League Two to League One; Bai Helamu and Wumitijiang were loaned to League Two initially; Xu Bin, Bao Shengxin, and Huo Shenping solidified themselves in League One before playing in the Super League; Bao Shimeng was also loaned to League One in 2025 for development.

In fact, players like Wu Lei and Yan Junling also spent several seasons in League Two and League One. For young players, while making a rapid leap to the Super League is thrilling, gradual development and growth through steady progress may be a more reasonable approach.