September 8: Fans call for immediate national team promotion? 18-year-old youngster creates 9 goals in 20 appearances this season!_Buniyamin_Chinese Super League_Yunnan Yukun

On the night of September 6, at Yuxi Plateau Sports Center, Yunnan Yukun demolished Liaoning Tieren 5-0.

In the 32nd minute, a youngster wearing No.39 suddenly accelerated down the right side, powered through the gap between two defenders, and delivered a cross. Kleber scored from the middle with a timely finish. In the 77th minute, the same No.39 player won the ball directly from opponent foreign player Felipe in the attacking area, drove forward one-on-one against the goalkeeper, and calmly slotted home. The goal was Yunnan Yukun's 100th goal in club history in the Chinese Super League.

In the post-match mixed zone, a Migu Video reporter asked the just-turned-18-year-old: "You are becoming more confident as you play. How would you evaluate this goal and assist performance?"

Buniyamin wiped his sweat and said: "We finally opened things up, and our defense was also good. I did quite well defensively, and then the attack naturally followed."

He said it so lightly. But he probably did not realize that this one match once again pushed the topic of "whether Buniyamin should enter the national team" firmly into trending discussions.

First, let us lay out the numbers.

According to Nanmi Sports' official Chinese Super League statistics: as of now in the 2026 season, Buniyamin has made 23 CSL appearances for Yunnan Yukun (17 appearances, 9 starts), totaling 795 minutes, with 5 goals and 3 assists.

If the CFA Cup is included, according to figures revealed in the post-match interview, he has made 20 appearances in all competitions this season (11 starts), scoring 5 goals and providing 4 assists.

Another striking statistic is that he has attempted 51 dribbles this season and completed 30 of them.

What does 51 dribble attempts mean? Among domestic CSL players, many would not dare carry the ball forward so aggressively over an entire season. With 30 successes and a completion rate close to 60%, this fearless style is extremely rare among Chinese players.

Even more impressive is his efficiency. From his CSL debut and first goal against Henan in the 17th round on July 3 to the 5-0 win on September 6, the 18-year-old produced nearly 0.5 goals created per match in limited playing time over just more than two months.

Yukun fans had already become excited and gave him a nickname: "Prince."

Turn the clock back to February 13, 2026.

Evergrande Football School officially announced that after discussions with Yunnan Yukun and the player himself, Buniyamin Abdulshalamu officially transferred to Yunnan Yukun for a fee of 1 million yuan.

How did people view the deal at the time? Many believed Yukun was helping Evergrande Football School through difficulties—a gamble on a 17-year-old for 1 million yuan.

Buniyamin was born on April 9, 2008, in Xinjiang (Baidu Baike lists Urumqi, while multiple self-media sources describe him as being from Tacheng). He is 1.83 meters tall and plays as a right winger. He entered Evergrande Football School at age nine and stayed there for nine years.

During his time at the academy, his national youth team record was almost a journey through every age group:

At the 2023 East Asia U15 Men's Football Championship, he helped the team defeat Japan in a penalty shootout to win the title.

In the 2024 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, he scored against the Maldives as China won 9-0.

At the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup, he appeared in all three group matches and came on against Thailand in the final group game to complete a goal and assist.

In October 2025, his Guangdong team defeated Jiangsu 3-2 to finish third in the U18 category of the 15th National Games.

This year he also moved up an age group and entered the U19 national team training squad coached by Jankovic.

In other words, he is not a sudden breakout unknown player, but a standout prospect that had long been identified within the youth development system.

Yukun head coach Jordi noticed the youngster as early as a January friendly. At that time, Buniyamin played only 25 minutes as a substitute, but impressed the coaching staff with his active running and sharp direct breakthroughs.

Six months later, this 1 million yuan investment has been widely regarded as one of the most cost-effective signings in the CSL this season.

Buniyamin's debut CSL season has shown an astonishingly clear growth curve.

At the start of the season he was only an occasional substitute. He did not make his first appearance until the seventh round, playing just 10 minutes. Later, the coach gradually gave him more time after seeing his courage and determination.

On July 3, CSL Round 17 against Henan: Buniyamin started his CSL debut and scored his first goal as Yukun won 2-1 after a comeback. Fans in the stands shouted "Xiao Ming," and the nickname later trended with him.

On July 17, CSL Round 19 against Shanghai Port: trailing the defending champions 0-2, he came on as a substitute in the second half. In the 49th minute, his through ball helped create a goal, and four minutes later he scored with a shot inside the box to make it 2-2. The Port defense was disrupted by the 18-year-old.

On July 26, CSL Round 20 against Shenzhen Peng City: he scored and assisted, becoming the youngest player in recorded CSL history to score and assist in one match at 18 years and 108 days, moving Wang Yudong's record of 18 years and 260 days forward by 152 days.

On August 22, CSL Round 24 at Beijing Workers' Stadium: in the 58th minute, Buniyamin received the ball near the midfield sideline, escaped three Beijing Guoan players, and fired a left-footed shot from the edge of the box to make it 1-2. It was not a lucky rebound but a solo run across half the pitch. Headlines after the match read "18-year-old Buniyamin's one-man goal."

On September 6, CSL Round 26 against Liaoning Tieren: one goal and one assist, creating Yukun's 100th CSL goal in club history.

In half a year, he went from a rotation player to the team's absolute attacking threat on the right side.

When discussing Buniyamin, Wang Yudong cannot be avoided.

Wang Yudong was 19 years old, with 11 goals and 5 assists in 28 CSL matches last season, creating 17 goals. Buniyamin is 18, with 5 goals and 3 assists in 17 CSL matches this season—their efficiency per playing time is comparable at the same stage.

Wang Yudong received CSL opportunities at age 16, giving him a higher starting point; Buniyamin began his debut season from the substitute bench.

Both are wide attacking players who dare to dribble and have speed. Wang Yudong on the left, Buniyamin on the right—this is the most realistic image behind fans' calls. The phrase "flying on both wings" carries the hopes of many Chinese football supporters for the future.

But one detail should be noted: Yukun's attacking engine is the foreign-player trio, with Kleber finishing and Oscar linking play. Many of Buniyamin's chances come from spaces created by foreign players drawing defenders away.

His statistics have quality, but they also need to be viewed within the tactical system. His five league goals are spread throughout the season, showing that he was not boosted by one or two lucky games but produced consistently over time.

What does the national team attack lack? A domestic attacking player who dares to receive the ball and take on defenders.

Buniyamin's willingness to attack defenders and his speed are exactly the missing pieces often seen among domestic players. Fans who have watched him play are deeply impressed by his pace, which also reminds them of Wang Yudong.

The Asian Games called up many U23-eligible players, leaving a gap in the senior national team's forward options under Shao Jiayi. September friendlies are developmental matches and a natural window for evaluating new players. Buniyamin was not selected for this Asian Games U22 squad, so there was no scheduling conflict.

The physical intensity of the CSL differs from international matches, and an 18-year-old player still needs improvement in physical consistency and tactical execution. Wang Yudong's initial national team path was also gradual: youth national team experience first, then senior team training.

When the coaching staff evaluates new players, they consider not only standout moments but also tactical suitability and role definition.

But one thing is certain—an 18-year-old securing 17 CSL appearances shows that the coach trusts him and the team believes in him. He is not simply a player padding statistics at the end of the bench.

The CSL has traditionally been cautious with young players, and only a few teams can provide an 18-year-old with 17 consistent appearances. Yukun gave him the chance, and Buniyamin seized it. This mutual trust is quite rare in the CSL youth development environment.

Buniyamin's father Shalamu also played football when he was young. He later retired after a ligament injury and opened a Xinjiang restaurant called "Tajimelan Food Restaurant" near Guangzhou Railway Station. On the day of signing, Yukun management discussed the deal with Buniyamin and his father at that restaurant.

Later, Shalamu left his son eight words: "Always be grateful, move forward with humility."

Those eight words carry particular weight amid the current public discussion over fans calling for "Buniyamin to quickly join the national team."

An 18-year-old youngster came from Xinjiang to Evergrande Football School, spent nine years sharpening his skills in youth training, moved to high-altitude Yuxi for a 1 million yuan transfer fee, and in less than one season went from the bench to the position of "Prince."

On the night of September 6, after that one-on-one goal, he performed the SIU celebration.

The Yukun fans in the stands chanted his name, with the cheers growing louder and louder.

The challenge of becoming an icon through one photo.