A historic first! China call up a footballer of African descent for the first time

Chinese football has opened an entirely new chapter in its national history.

Details: Nineteen-year-old defensive midfielder Huang Shenghao of Guangdong Guangzhou Leopard has made history by becoming the first player of African descent ever called up to the China national team. The Chinese Football Association officially included the young midfielder on the supplementary list for the team's fourth training camp of 2026.

Huang Shenghao was born on August 1, 2007, in Guangzhou, to a Nigerian father and a Chinese mother. The footballer speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin fluently, and news of his invitation has caused a huge stir across the country. The senior national team's coaching staff took the unprecedented step of promoting the midfielder directly from the U-19 side after his mature performances at the Toulon Tournament, where he played all four matches from start to finish against peers from leading academies around the world.

It is worth noting that, at club level, Huang Shenghao has represented Guangdong Guangzhou Leopard since 2023, making more than 20 appearances and helping the team earn promotion to the China League One. He has also become the first player in his club's history to earn a call-up to the national team.

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