Another “Tang Lei” Moment? Auto Exec Rallies U23 China: Score Tonight and Two Chongqing Players Win a Car

At 11:00 PM Beijing time on January 24, the U23 Asian Cup final will kick off, with China set to face Japan. Ahead of the highly anticipated showdown, a bold statement from an auto industry executive has caught fans’ attention: if Xiang Yuwang or Li Zhenquan score, they will each be rewarded with a car.

The promise of gifting cars inevitably brings back memories of a previous high-profile pledge. In Yongzhou, businesswoman Tang Lei once publicly vowed to give every player a car if the local team won the Hunan Super League. Yongzhou ultimately claimed the title—but the promised cars never materialized, and Tang Lei quietly disappeared from the spotlight.

Now, a new figure has stepped forward. The general manager of a Chongqing-based automobile company has publicly declared his support for the local club Chongqing Tonglianglong, whose players Xiang Yuwang and Li Zhenquan are both part of China’s squad for tonight’s U23 Asian Cup final.

According to the executive, “We’ve just discussed it—if either of them scores, we’ll give them a car. We hope they can help the U23 national team find the back of the net.” Notably, Xiang Yuwang already scored in the semifinal against Vietnam, while Li Zhenquan is still looking for his first goal of the tournament.

In response, a representative from the company added, “Details will be revealed later—please stay tuned. This decision was just made, and we are currently working on the plan.”

As the final approaches, Chinese fans across the country are united in hope: that Xiang Yuwang and Li Zhenquan can deliver goals on the biggest stage, help the U23 national team lift the Asian Cup trophy, and that this time, the promise of a car will be honored—without repeating the lessons of the past.