Mandatory Chinese Cuisine for Branko Ivankovic's New Pupil

Oscar, the Congolese football star, is encountering unique challenges in his pursuit of Chinese citizenship, notably adapting to the local cuisine.

The Chinese Football Association is earnestly working to grant Oscar citizenship. For several months, he has been learning the Chinese language, with Changzhou club providing a tutor to assist him, demonstrating their support for his inclusion in the national team.

Chinese media report that Oscar, who has played in China for six years, is eager to obtain citizenship and views representing the national team as an honor. He recently traveled to Congo to initiate the nationality change process and has since returned to China.

Having resided in China for over five years, Oscar meets the eligibility criteria for citizenship. This season, he has made 22 appearances for Changzhou, scoring seven goals. With his contract ending, he has signed as a free agent with a Greek club that won China's First Division last season and has been promoted to the Super League.

Outlets like Beijing Youth Daily highlight that Oscar arrived in China at a young age and, now at 25, is younger than previous naturalized players, which is considered advantageous. Once the legal procedures are completed, he is expected to significantly bolster the Chinese national team.

Football News noted, "Oscar faced challenges in learning and embracing various aspects of Chinese culture. He plans to visit historical sites in Beijing, savor delicious Chinese dishes in Guangzhou, and explore unique features in Shanghai."

Currently, he has learned basic Chinese phrases such as "Hello," "Thank you," "Nice to meet you," and "My name is Oscar." His new team intends to provide a Chinese language teacher to facilitate his learning.

The Chinese national team is focused on strengthening its squad for the remaining 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers. After three matches, their qualification prospects appeared slim, starting with a heavy 0-7 loss to Japan, followed by defeats to Saudi Arabia (1-2) and Australia (1-3), placing them at the bottom of the table.

However, consecutive away victories against Indonesia (2-1) and Bahrain (1-0) have improved their standing. Despite a subsequent 1-3 loss to Japan, with two wins, four losses, and six points, they are just one point behind second-placed Australia.

The national team aims to make a significant, timely impact in the World Cup qualifiers resuming in March next year by naturalizing new players. Alongside Oscar, Serginho from Brazil is also undergoing the naturalization process.