Coach Shui urges Chinese players to "face challenges with smile" at women's World Cup

QINGDAO, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Shui Qingxia, the head coach of the Chinese women's football team, on Wednesday encouraged her players to "face challenges with a smile no matter what happens" at the impending 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

"To be frank, players are not currently 100 percent ready for the World Cup. With just 17 days remaining before our opening match, the players must prepare both physically and mentally. I hope they can hit their peak level as the tournament nears," Shui stated, whose team is scheduled to depart for Adelaide, Australia, on Friday.

The Steel Roses have been grouped into Group D, alongside England, Denmark, and Haiti, and are set to face Denmark first on July 22.

"The opening match against Denmark is very crucial for us, as well as for our opponents. Denmark has several players who are active in the English Premier League, and they exceed us in terms of match intensity. We are unfamiliar with Haiti, but upon analyzing videos, it's apparent their players are robust and swift. England, without a doubt, is one of the world's top teams. We need to stay composed, stick to our style of football and give our all in all matches," Shui remarked.

The 56-year-old also reminded her players to stay grounded following their triumph at last year's Asian Cup.

"Chinese fans will undoubtedly have higher expectations for our team after we won the Asian Cup. It's beneficial for the team. We aim to set a loftier goal of reaching the quarterfinals in Australia. However, we must understand that the World Cup and Asian Cup are entirely different, it's going to be much more challenging," Shui observed.

"Experiencing my first World Cup as a head coach, I do feel nervous at times. I hope I can maintain my composure and assist my players in building confidence," Shui added. "No matter what unfolds in the World Cup, I hope my players can face challenges with a smile and demonstrate the Chinese team's fighting spirit to all our fans."