Shao Jiayi discusses upcoming matches

On November 10, the Chinese men's national football team completed its assembly in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, to prepare for two friendlies against Malaysia and Bahrain.

China finally have their strongest squad available this time, with talented young players from the 2003–2004 and 2005–2006 age groups returning after missing the previous international window due to the Asian Games. Their return has significantly strengthened the national team compared with the last international break.

Although the Asian Cup, originally scheduled to begin early next year, has been postponed, the pressure on head coach Shao Jiayi will not ease. His team performed extremely poorly during the previous international window, losing their last three matches in a four-game series. In particular, their 5–0 defeat to Palestine brought criticism of Shao to a peak. This time, he is expected to oversee a substantial improvement in the team's performances.

Shao Jiayi said: "Whether it's the Asian Cup, the World Cup qualifiers or the upcoming friendlies, everyone in the squad needs to give 100 percent. There is pressure in every national team match, and I experienced that firsthand during our previous games. We simply cannot afford to let our guard down, so every day's training and every stage of preparation are extremely important to us. Pressure is also a source of motivation, and I believe both the team and I can adapt to it."