Shanghai (AFP)

In March 2015, Nico Yennaris was playing for the Wycombe Wanderers in the English Fourth Division.

Five years later, the native of London took the name of Li Ke, has a Chinese passport and will try to qualify China for the second World Cup in its history.

"If I had been told at that time where my career would be today, I would certainly have told you that you are crazy," the 27-year-old told AFP, thinking back to his improbable career.

Li, who is half Chinese, grew up alongside Harry Kane, the Tottenham and England star, who hails from the same area of ​​east London.

He made his only Premier League appearance in 2012 with Arsenal, his training club, against Manchester United before moving on to the other three English professional divisions.

It is in 2019 that the former England international in the youth teams makes a decision that will change his life and the course of Chinese football.

So in Brentford, he decided to leave the Championship, the second English division, for Beijing Guoan, contender for the Chinese Super League title, and in June of the same year became the first naturalized footballer from China.

A handful of Brazilian players then suffered the same fate, a quick solution to boost China's chances of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

- "To be realistic" -

"It's an honor because you are making history and that nobody can take it away from you," says Li, whose mother is Chinese and father Greco-Cypriot.

According to him, it is his determination to play at the highest level that led him to China, he who could also have represented the Cypriot team.

"You have to be realistic. Was it possible for me to play for England? Honestly, with the way my career was going, probably not," he admits.

Although he only made his debut with the Chinese team last year, the idea of ​​going to China came to him when he was 17 or 18 when he was trying to break through with Arsenal.

With the competition too stiff, Li was on loan at Notts County and Bournemouth, before signing at Brentford in 2014 and being loaned in 2015 to Wycombe.

"At the beginning, it was just + Is it possible that I play with China? + Then they (contacts in China) explained to me how to obtain the Chinese passport, etc (...) There it is 'became a whole other conversation. "

His family is worried about seeing him abandon his British passport.

"There were a lot of questions: + What does this mean for the future? Will I be able to collect my passport later? How might that affect a return to the UK? + These are just strangers because it has never happened before. I was only focused on playing football. "

- Reunion with Kane?

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A departure for China also represents a great change, he who, as a child, was above all immersed in the paternal culture.

"New language, culture, food, everything".

Li also has to learn Chinese, which he doesn't speak at all.

He is even given a new name, which he hears for the first time in Portugal during a pre-season training session when a driver is waiting for him with a sign bearing the name "Li Ke".

"He said to me: + it's you +. And I answer him: + but no, it's not my name +", he remembers, laughing.

So far, China's qualifying hopes for the 2022 World Cup are rather slim, but if the "Great Wall" (the Chinese national team's nickname) does, Li could face Harry Kane and his homeland.

"If I had the chance to be captain for China and he for England, it would be funny for our parents," he said.

"Like I said, anything is possible."

© 2020 AFP