Ivanković: Admires Singapore’s Fair Play Spirit, Pledges Full Effort in Upcoming Matches

Recently, Chinese national football team coach Ivanković spoke with “Football News” in an interview.

In the conversation, Ivanković expressed his admiration for Singapore’s fair play ethos, stating, “We greatly appreciate the spirit of fair competition displayed by the Singapore team. They represent their nation and give their all in every match. Of course, the final results were favorable to us. We played two matches against Singapore, so we have a good understanding of their capabilities. We know that they have their own style and content, and we believe they can pose threats to their opponents. The outcome of our match against them contributed to our advancement, but it’s important to remember that there is a significant gap in strength between us and South Korea. In our away game against Korea, everyone gave their best, and we performed very well, losing 0-1 only due to that scoreline, along with other factors, which allowed us to qualify.”

Regarding the 0-3 loss at home to Korea and the narrow 1-0 defeat away, Ivanković sees this as progress, which will boost the players’ confidence. With stronger opponents in the upcoming 18-team competition, as demonstrated by the Korea matches, he believes that maintaining tactical discipline and following instructions will create opportunities. Ivanković is confident that his players are determined to perform well in the 18-team tournament.

Facing the imminent 18-team competition, Ivanković emphasizes the importance of treating all opponents seriously. As China is the fifth-ranked team in the 18-team round, every match demands full commitment from the squad, regardless of who they face.

Conclusively, Ivanković affirms that his mission is to guide China to the World Cup. Now that the goal of reaching the World Cup has been set, the focus is on working towards it. Ivanković believes that luck favors the brave and the prepared; only by doing complete and thorough work can one expect fortune to smile upon them.