A Tragic Hero in a Borrowed Jersey: The Grassroots Rhetoric and Contested Identity of <i>Guihua</i> (Naturalized) Athletes in Chinese Football

This study introduces the Chinese concept of guihua (归化) to challenge conventional understandings of athlete naturalization. Through Fantasy Theme Analysis of 1,124 fan comments from China’s largest football platform (2019–2025), we explore the bottom-up rhetorical construction of national identity during two World Cup qualification cycles. First, we demonstrate how fans transform guihua from state-imposed cultural assimilation into a performance-based loyalty test where players earn legitimacy through emotional commitment rather than legal status or cultural conformity. Second, we identify three binary fantasy themes that converge into a “heroic tragedy” narrative, casting naturalized players as either devoted heroes or exploiting mercenaries based on perceived sacrifice for collective goals. Third, we theorize “cool nationalism,” an affective mode emerging from chronic disappointment that sustains patriotic investment while directing frustration toward systemic critique, contrasting with both state triumphalism and hot fandom. These findings reveal how grassroots discourse subverts official meanings of belonging in contemporary Chinese sports.