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
Playing position	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)
National team
2005	China U20	3	(0)
2008	China U23	3	(1)
2005–2007	China	13	(1)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Dong Fangzhuo (Chinese: 董方卓; pinyin: Dǒng Fāngzhuó; born on January 23, 1985) is a former professional footballer from China. He played as a forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals. Dong Fangzhuo is famous for being the first East Asian player to sign with the famous English club, Manchester United.

Club Career: Dong Fangzhuo's Football Journey

Starting Out: Early Career in China

Dong Fangzhuo first became well-known in 2000. He was named the best player in a tournament for players under 17 years old. After that, he joined a team called Dalian Sidelong. He helped them finish second in the Chinese Jia-B league in 2002.

His good performance led him to join Dalian Shide. This 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 left Dalian to join Manchester United. This was a very big move for him. He was the first player from East Asia to sign with this famous English club.

However, Dong could not play for Manchester United right away. He needed a special permit to work in England. Because of this, he was sent on loan to Royal Antwerp. This team played in the Belgian First Division in Belgium. The rules for working there were easier.

In his first season in Belgium, he 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. But injuries and playing for his country later slowed him down. He finished that season with seven goals in 22 games.

In the summer of 2005, Dong joined Manchester United for their pre-season tour. This was before the new season started. He played his first unofficial game for the club in Hong Kong. He even scored a goal in a 2–0 win!

During the 2005–06 season, Dong played very well for Royal Antwerp. He was the top goal scorer for his team. He also scored the most goals in the entire Belgian Second Division with 18 goals. This included two games where he scored three goals (hat-tricks).

In 2006, he again joined Manchester United for their pre-season tour. He scored the winning goal in a 1–0 game against Kaizer Chiefs. The manager, Alex Ferguson, said that Dong had the "speed and physicality" needed to play for United. He hoped Dong would be able to play for the club soon.

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

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

On December 12, 2007, Dong played in his first UEFA Champions League game. This is a very important European club competition. He came on as a substitute against Roma. With this game, he became only the second Chinese player ever to play in the Champions League. After this, 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. This meant he was not part of the main team plans. On August 28, 2008, Dong and Manchester United agreed to end his contract. This allowed him to find another team where he could play more often.

Back to Dalian Shide

After leaving Manchester United, Dong returned to Dalian Shide in China. People had high hopes for him because of his time at Manchester United. However, he struggled to score goals and often played with the reserve team. His performance also meant he was not called up to play for the Chinese national team.

Playing in Europe Again

Dong later went to Poland and signed with Legia Warsaw. He played well in some friendly games before the season. But in the actual league games, he only played twice before being moved to the reserve team again. He left Legia in August 2010.

Then, a famous player, Cristiano Ronaldo, suggested Dong to the Portuguese club Portimonense. Dong signed a one-year deal with them. But he didn't play much there either and often sat on the bench. He became frustrated and ended his contract.

After leaving Portugal, Dong briefly joined a Serbian club called FK Sloboda Point Sevojno. He played well in their friendly games. But he and the club could not agree on a contract, so he moved on again.

In March 2011, Dong joined Armenian Premier League team Mika. He even scored a goal in the 2011 Armenian Cup final, which his team won!

Later Career in China

After his time with Mika, Dong returned to China. He joined China League One team Hunan Billows. He played there for two years and scored 9 goals. After that, he moved to another Chinese team, Hebei Zhongji, where he scored 2 goals in 7 games.

International Career: Playing for China

Dong Fangzhuo played for China's national football teams. He was part of 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 main Chinese national team on June 3, 2006. This was 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 Beijing. In China's first game 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 Statistics

International Appearances and Goals

Scores and results list China's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Fangzhuo goal

List of international goals scored by Dong Fangzhuo

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	3 June 2006	Hardturm, Zürich, Switzerland	Switzerland	1–4	1–4	Friendly

Honours: What Dong Fangzhuo Won

FC Mika

• Armenian Cup: 2011

See also

In Spanish: Dong Fangzhuo para niños