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Goalkeepers
22-Jiang Jin (Tianjin Taida) Born: 7.10.69
China's long-armed first choice keeper, 1.98 metres tall, made his international debut in 1992. He is prone to lapses and can be caught by low shots. But Jiang, who has attracted interest from Scottish first division side Dundee, conceded only one goal in five matches as China swept through the last World Cup qualifying round before succumbing to a leg injury.

23-Ou Chuliang (Yunnan Hongta) Born: 26.8.68
Ou conceded five goals on his debut in a 1992 friendly against Canada which China lost 5-2. The weakness of the 1.80m keeper is in the air and coach Bora Milutinovic opted in favor of youngster An Qi when Jiang was injured in the qualifiers.

1-An Qi (Dalian Shide) Born: 21.6.81 .
The talented 20-year-old has the composure of a veteran and kept clean sheets in three qualifiers when Jiang Jin was injured. Seen as China's goalkeeper of the future, making his debut as a substitute in China's 3-0 win over Trinidad in a friendly last August. Also played at the World Youth Championships in Argentina last summer.

Defenders
5-Fan Zhiyi (Dundee) Born: 22.1.70
Fan is the heart of China's squad. The country's best-known international and a seasoned veteran, Fan is praised for his elegance and versatility, having played defender, midfield and up front. China's former captain and a favourite of coach Bora Milutinovic, he made his debut in 1989 and held together the defence that anchored China's qualifying run. Spent three years in England at Crystal Palace before moving to Dundee last October. Broke down in tears when China qualified and hugged forward Hao Haidong on the field, ostensibly ending a 12-year-long feud.

7-Sun Jihai (Manchester City) Born: 30.9.77
Sun, perhaps China's best all-around talent, was at Crystal Palace with Fan in 1998. Strong on either flank and can play midfield or defence, but is most dangerous as an attacking right full-back. His recent £2million move from Dalian Shide to City set a record for a Chinese player.

2-Zhang Enhua (Dalian Shide) Born: 11.5.74
Centre-back Zhang is a savvy defender but lacks speed. He is remembered for an impressive debut in a 0-0 draw against South Korea in 1995.

14-Li Weifeng (Shenzhen Pingan) Born: 26.1.78
Considered China's best young centreback and is strong in the air. Chinese media compare him to a tiger - fearless and always ready to put his body on the line. He headed China's crucial last-minute equaliser in their qualifying draw with Qatar in Doha last September.

4-Wu Chengying (Shanghai Shenhua) Born: 21.4.75
Wu has good vision, can contribute to the attack - with some deadly crosses - and can quickly shift the direction of play. Criticised though for being slow to get back and can let strikers get behind him. Joined the national team ahead of the 1996 Asian Cup.

17-Du Wei (Shanghai Shenhua) Born: 9.2.82
Du has shown flashes of potential to become a squad leader on and off the pitch. A disciplined tackler, he has shown an ability to shore up defensive holes without being caught out of position. Has caught the attention of fans since his debut last August.

3-Yang Pu (Beijing Guoan) Born: 30.3.78
A good decision maker who can play on both flanks of the defence and is quick to help out in attack, although criticised for slowness in retreat. A surprise addition by Milutinovic, was the backbone of the defence in September's qualifying win over Uzbekistan.

21-Xu Yunlong (Beijing Guoan) Born: 17.2.79
Pacy all-rounder who can play forward or fullback. Plenty of stamina and an eye for goal. Made his debut in a tournament in Shanghai in September, 2000 and scored two superb headers in China's 10-1 rout of the Maldives in a qualifier last April.

13-Gao Yao (Shandong Luneng) Born: 13.7.78
Gao, who plays centreback, is an athletic defender who has shown confidence in a limited number of appearances.

Midfielders
9-Ma Mingyu (Sichuan Quanxing) Born: 10.8.72
Captain Ma is China's model of consistency, stringing together one stellar performance after another in last autumn's qualifiers, as a confident Chinese squad dictated the flow of play against Asian rivals. Plays either in central midfield or the left and is one of China's few threats from outside the box.

8-Li Tie (Liaoning Fushen) Born: 18.9.77
Playmaker Li is perhaps China's most exciting player to watch and has been linked with European clubs. An exceptional defensive midfielder, he was a tireless workhorse during China's qualifiers. The only shortcoming in Li's game is his passing.

19-Qi Hong (Shanghai Zhongyuan) Born: 3.6.76
One of China's top passers and dribblers, a stealthy operator who regularly moves up from midfield to score.

18-Li Xiaopeng (Shandong Luneng) Born: 5.11.76
Versatile, defensive midfielder who can easily shift to right-back. While some fans think him over-rated, Li has improved since Milutinovic made him a first choice in place of veteran Li Ming at a four-nation tournament in Shanghai in September 2000.

11-Yu Genwei (Tianjin Taida) Born: 19.8.76
Yu made history as a late addition to Milutinovic's starting line-up against Qatar on October 7, 2001, scoring the goal that sent China to its first ever World Cup finals. Yu is quick to pounce on loose balls and is dangerous inside the box.

6-Shao Jiayi (Beijing Guoan) Born: 10.4.80
A tough tackler but a hothead who needs to improve his decision making. Made his debut at the age of 20 in a friendly against Saudi Arabia in October 2000.

16-Qu Bo (Qingdao Yizhong) Born: 15.7.81
Real pace he can run 100 metres in 11 seconds - Qu is one of China's best young prospects. Made his senior debut last year before playing at the World Youth Championships in Argentina last summer. Qu returned to help China in a World Cup qualifier against Qatar and scored.

15-Zhao Junzhe (Beijing Guoan) Born: 18.4.79 .
Called into the squad at the start of the year and did well enough to keep his place.

Forwards
10-Hao Haidong (Dalian Shide) Born: 25.8.70
Despite his age, Hao remains the best striker in China. The hard-nosed northeasterner has all the classic qualities. He can hold the ball up, go past defenders and has a fine sense of positioning. But he has not always been in peak condition and fell out of favour with Milutinovic for a period before the qualifiers in the latter part of last year.

12-Su Maozhen (Shangdong Luneng) Born: 30.7.72
Good in the air and quick to make penetrating runs, his dribbling and passing is less strong. Scored five times in an Asian Cup qualifying match against Guam in 2000.

20-Yang Chen (Eintracht Frankfurt) Born: 17.1.74
China's best striker after Hao Haidong, Yang was disappointing during qualifying, though some blamed his hectic travel schedule, juggling China with his career in Germany.