The Chinese national football team made their debut in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup on January 7, 2019, against the hosts Qatar. The team was composed of five newcomers, including goalkeeper Zhang Ziyi and forwards Liu Chao and Wu Lei.
Zhang Ziyi, who played for Tianjin Quanjian in the Chinese Super League, has been part of China's youth teams since 2014. She made her senior debut in 2018 and has been called up to the national team several times since then. Liu Chao, who plays for Shanghai Shenhua, is also new to the squad. He scored two goals during the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and has been named as one of the most promising players in Chinese football.
Wu Lei, who plays for Guangzhou Evergrande, is another newcomer to the squad. He made his debut for the Chinese national team in November 2018 and has been a regular member of the team ever since. He has also been called up to the national team several times since then.
These five newcomers will be looking to make their mark at the Asian Cup, where they will face some tough competition from other teams like Japan, South Korea, and Australia. While it may be difficult for them to make an impact right away, they have shown promise and potential, and they will undoubtedly continue to develop under the guidance of the coaching staff.