Shanghai, Aug 22 (IANS) Elkeson de Oliveira Cardoso will be the first player without Chinese ancestry to play for China's national football team, local media reported on Thursday.

Elkeson, who has been playing in the Chinese Super League since 2013, was called up by the team's Italian coach Marcelo Lippi to debut on September 10 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Maldives.

The player, who swapped his native Brazilian citizenship for that of China, which does not allow dual nationality, has helped his club Guangzhou Evergrande win two Asian Champions League championships, Efe news reported.

--IANS kk/arm