China’s women’s football head coach, Ante Milicic, has expressed confidence in his team’s preparations ahead of the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship – better known as the East Asian Cup. The coach believes the team is ready to deliver strong performances throughout the tournament.
East Asian Cup 2025: China Gears Up for Key Matches
The East Asian Cup will take place from July 7 to 16 in South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province, with matches taking place in Suwon and Yongin. Four teams – China, Japan, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei – are set to compete in the women’s division.
Milicic shared his thoughts before the opening clash, saying, “What are our goals for this tournament? Basically, we want to see an improvement in our playing style, what we’ve been working on, and taking that into our performances in this tournament, while also looking forward to the Asian Cup.”
Coach Milicic Focused on Playing Style and Growth
The coach explained that their goal isn’t only to win matches, but also to continue developing the team’s game approach. “So we can see which players can compete at this international level against three quality teams. Our expectations are the same as [South] Korea and Japan – every game, every tournament, we want to win. But the bigger focus is on the way we play, the way we approach the game, and continuing to develop our playing style.”
He added, “We believe if we focus on ourselves, that gives us an opportunity to be successful, which is ultimately winning.”
China Women’s Football Team Prepares in Qingdao
Milicic pointed out that some players are still returning to form after injuries and time away from the field. He said, “You have to appreciate the speed of international football compared to the local competition, there is a big difference.”
To prepare for the conditions in Korea, the squad trained for two weeks in Qingdao. “Our girls worked very hard, very smart. If we can focus on ourselves and play to the level that we know we can, then we have an opportunity to be successful,” Milicic added.
Captain Wu Haiyan Highlights Team Spirit and Readiness
Team captain Wu Haiyan emphasized the importance of the tournament. “This tournament is both a chance to show our team spirit and a test for us, to see what level we can demonstrate after such a long period of training.”
China will open their campaign against hosts South Korea on Wednesday.
