Dong Fangzhuo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dong Fangzhuo

Dong with Hunan Billows in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Dong Fangzhuo
Date of birth	(1985-01-23) 23 January 1985 (age 40)
Place of birth	Dalian, Liaoning, China
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002	Dalian Sidelong	18	(2)
2002–2004	Dalian Shide	8	(0)
2004–2008	Manchester United	1	(0)
2004–2006	→ Royal Antwerp (loan)	71	(34)
2008–2010	Dalian Shide	26	(0)
2010	Legia Warsaw	2	(0)
2010–2011	Portimonense	3	(0)
2011	Mika	21	(4)
2012–2013	Hunan Billows	43	(9)
2014	Hebei Zhongji	7	(2)
Total		200	(51)
International career
2005	China U20	3	(0)
2008	China U23	3	(1)
2005–2008	China	13	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dong Fangzhuo (Chinese: 董方卓; pinyin: Dǒng Fāngzhuó; born on January 23, 1985) is a former Chinese professional footballer. He played as a forward, which means he was usually one of the main goal scorers for his team.

Dong's Football Journey

Starting Out in China

Dong first became well-known in 2000. He was named the best player in a special tournament for young players under 17. After that, he joined a team called Dalian Sidelong. He helped them finish second in the Chinese Jia-B league in 2002. This success led him to join Dalian Shide, which was the most successful football club in China at the time. Dong scored his first goal for Dalian in a qualifying match for the 2002–03 AFC Champions League.

Playing for Manchester United

On January 12, 2004, Dong moved from Dalian to Manchester United in England. This was a big step for him. He was the first player from East Asia to sign with this famous club.

However, Dong could not play for Manchester United right away. He needed a special work permit to play in England. Because of this, he was sent on loan to Royal Antwerp, a team in Belgium. The rules for playing there were not as strict.

Time in Belgium

In his first season with Royal Antwerp, Dong scored one goal in nine games. He was getting used to playing in a new country. His second season started much better. He scored six goals in his first seven games, often coming on as a substitute. Even with some injuries and time away for international games, he finished that season with seven goals in 22 matches.

In the 2005–06 season, Dong played very well for Royal Antwerp. He was the top goal scorer for his team and for the entire Belgian Second Division. He scored 18 goals, including two games where he scored three goals (called a hat-trick).

Joining Manchester United's Main Team

In 2006, Dong joined Manchester United again for their pre-season tour. He scored the winning goal in a friendly match against Kaizer Chiefs. The team's manager, Alex Ferguson, said that Dong had the "speed and physicality" needed to play for Manchester United.

Finally, on December 15, 2006, Dong received his work permit to play in England. This was almost three years after he first signed with the club. He had played enough games for the Chinese national team to qualify. With his permit, he was called back from Royal Antwerp. He had scored 11 goals in 15 games there that season. He signed a new contract with Manchester United until 2010 and joined their main team.

Dong played his first game at Old Trafford, Manchester United's home stadium, in a friendly match on March 13, 2007. He also played for the Manchester United reserve team regularly. On May 9, 2007, Dong made his first Premier League appearance against Chelsea. He also played a full match in the League Cup against Coventry City.

On December 12, 2007, Dong played in his first UEFA Champions League game against Roma. He came on as a substitute for Wayne Rooney. This made him only the second Chinese player to ever play in the UEFA Champions League. He scored four goals in three games for the reserve team before getting injured.

Before the 2008–09 season, Dong was not given a squad number. On August 28, 2008, Dong and Manchester United agreed to end his contract. This allowed him to find a team where he could play more often.

Back to Dalian Shide

On August 27, 2008, Dong went back to his old team, Dalian Shide. People had high hopes for him because of his time at Manchester United. However, his performance in the league was not as good as expected. He found it hard to score goals and was sometimes moved to the reserve team. Because of his struggles, he was not called up to play for the Chinese national team.

Playing in Europe Again

After leaving Dalian, Dong went to Poland and signed with Legia Warsaw. He played well in some friendly games before the season started. But in the actual league games, he only played in two matches before being moved to the reserve team. He left Legia on August 1, 2010.

Later in August 2010, Dong signed a one-year deal with Portimonense, a team in Portugal. He did not get much playing time there and was often on the bench. He became frustrated and ended his contract with Portimonense.

Later Career

In March 2011, Dong joined Mika, a team in Armenia. He even scored a goal in the 2011 Armenian Cup final. At the end of that season, he left Mika and returned to China. He played for Hunan Billows for two years, scoring 9 goals. After that, he moved to another Chinese team, Hebei Zhongji, where he scored 2 goals in 7 games.

Playing for His Country

Dong played for the Chinese under-20 national team in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. He played in three of the four games during that tournament.

He scored his first goal for the Chinese national team on June 3, 2006, in a game against Switzerland. He was also chosen to play in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

Dong also played football at the 2008 Summer Olympics. In China's first match against New Zealand, he came on as a substitute. He scored China's first goal in the 88th minute, helping his team get a 1–1 draw.

Career Achievements

FC Mika

• Armenian Cup: 2011

Manchester United

• Premier League: 2006-07

See also

In Spanish: Dong Fangzhuo para niños