China captain Zhang Linpeng (No. 5) told the media he would be quitting the national team. - Reuters
SINGAPORE: Following his side’s 2-2 World Cup Asian qualifier draw with Singapore on Thursday (March 21), China skipper Zhang Linpeng announced he would leave the national set-up, with the shock decision making rounds on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
“I thought about it for a long while. I think it’s time to end my national team career,” the 34-year-old centre-back, who plays for Chinese Super League team Shanghai Port, said in a South China Morning Post report.
“We could not even beat the Singapore team. I think it’s unacceptable, and I find it humiliating.”
However, there was no confirmation of Zhang’s quit decision from the Chinese Football Association.
The news subsequently sparked discussions on Weibo, with more than 10,000 likes on one of the posts as of March 22.
One fan commented in Chinese: “Let the board know before announcing this, if not you’re just acting on impulse.”
Others thanked Zhang for his contributions during his 15-year spell with the senior national team, during which he made 105 appearances.
One of them wrote: “He has a lot of experience, but age has caught up with him. After all, he has contributed greatly to the team, so it’s difficult to criticise him. This feels like heartache.”
The March 21 result at the National Stadium meant world No. 88 China are third in Group C, three ahead of bottom-placed Singapore. The two sides will face each other again on March 26 at the Tianjin Olympic Centre Stadium. - The Straits Times/ANN
