New start

The momentum extends beyond the youth ranks.

On Jan 1, the latest senior national team training squad was officially announced, with Shao assembling the team for his first camp in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, before heading to Dubai for a two-week overseas training stint.

At his first media appearance as head coach, the 45-year-old former national team midfielder admitted he felt both excitement and pressure.

"Excitement, because coaching the national team is the ultimate dream of every coach; pressure, because of the heavy responsibility on my shoulders," he said.

"Since the announcement, the urgency of unfinished tasks has never left me. Becoming head coach is only the beginning. Leading the team to show fighting spirit and results that satisfy the Chinese people — and fulfilling a long-held national soccer dream — is our core goal."

A veteran of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Shao later built a distinguished club career in Germany, making 168 appearances. After retiring in 2015, he transitioned into coaching, working with China's U18 and U20 teams before guiding Qingdao West Coast through consecutive successful relegation battles in the CSL.

China's most recent World Cup qualifying run ended in an early exit from the third round of Asian qualifiers, extending a drought that has lasted since the team's lone World Cup appearance in 2002. As global attention turns to this summer's World Cup, China has shifted its focus toward 2030.

Facing the challenges confronting Chinese soccer, Shao has emphasized patience, humility, and a renewed focus on fundamentals. He has also pledged to continue learning and refining his ideas, calling for greater understanding and support as the team rebuilds.

"Although there is still a gap between us and the world's strongest teams, soccer is a team sport,"Shao said. "As long as we unite our collective strength, we can move forward steadily."

Discussing winter training, Shao stressed that physical conditioning remains the immediate priority. "We will test our work through matches and adjust our plans dynamically," he said. "For the national team, no match can be taken lightly — every game carries the expectations of the fans and the future of the team."

On the goal of World Cup qualification, he said: "Reaching the World Cup is our shared ambition. I can't promise qualification, but we will move forward step by step through solid training and high-quality matches, giving everything we have to pursue that goal."