Guangzhou F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Guangzhou Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | South China Tigers (华南虎) | ||
| Founded | June 1954 | ||
| Ground | Huadu Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 13,394 | ||
| Chairman | Xu Jiayin | ||
| Head coach | Salva Suay | ||
| League | China League One | ||
| 2023 | China League One, 12th of 16 | ||
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| Guangzhou F.C. | |||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 廣州足球俱樂部 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 广州足球俱乐部 | ||||||||||||
| Jyutping | Gwong2 zau1 zuk1 kau4 keoi1 lok6 bou6 | ||||||||||||
| Cantonese Yale | Gwóngjāu zūk kaù lokh bouh | ||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | Guǎngzhōu Zúqiú Jùlèbù | ||||||||||||
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Guangzhou Football Club, also known as Guangzhou FC, is a professional football team from Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. They play their home games at the Huadu Stadium. The club was once called Guangzhou Evergrande.
This team started in 1954. They became a professional club in 1993. Guangzhou FC has won many titles, including the AFC Champions League twice. They won this big Asian competition in 2013 and 2015. They also won the Chinese Super League seven times in a row from 2011 to 2017. In 2019, they won it again.
However, the club faced money problems and was moved down to a lower league in 2022.
Contents
History of Guangzhou Football Club
Early Years and Growth
Guangzhou Football Team started in June 1954. They joined the new Chinese national football league in 1955. In their first season, they finished eighth. This meant they moved down to the second division.
The team won the second division championship in 1956 and again in 1958. But they were not allowed to move up to the top league. The club was later re-established in 1961 and played in the top league. They struggled and moved down again in 1963. Football in China then stopped for a while because of the Cultural Revolution.
Rising Through the Ranks
When football started again, Guangzhou focused on its youth team. Young players like Mai Chao and Zhao Dayu became famous Chinese international players. The team quickly moved up from the third division to the top league.
In 1985, Guangzhou FC became the first Chinese team to get a sponsor. A company called Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical Factory gave them money.
Becoming Champions and International Success
In 2011, the club, then known as Guangzhou Evergrande, bought famous players like Dario Conca and Cléo. They won the Super League title that year, even with games left to play.
In 2012, Guangzhou played their first AFC Champions League match and won big. They also signed more international players like Lucas Barrios. Under coach Marcello Lippi, they won the Super League for the second time in a row. They also won the Chinese FA Cup, becoming "double winners."
The team continued to get stronger in 2013. They signed Zeng Cheng and Elkeson. They won the Super League for the third time in a row. They also won the 2013 AFC Champions League, becoming the first Chinese team to win it since 1990. This win allowed them to play in the FIFA Club World Cup. They beat the African champions but lost to European champions Bayern Munich.
Guangzhou won the Chinese Super League again in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, they won their second AFC Champions League title. They also played in the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, reaching the semi-finals. By 2020, Guangzhou Evergrande had won eight Super League championships. This included seven titles in a row from 2011 to 2017.
Recent Challenges and Changes
Before the 2021 season, the team changed its name to Guangzhou FC. This was because the Chinese Football Association wanted clubs to have "neutral" names. Around the same time, the club's main owner, Evergrande Group, faced big financial problems.
Because of these money troubles, the club lost many key players. In 2022, Guangzhou FC was moved down from the Super League. This ended their twelve-season stay in the top league.
Stadiums
Guangzhou FC has played in several stadiums. Before the 2023 season, they moved to Yuexiushan Stadium. This stadium used to be home to another Guangzhou team.
Before that, they played their home games at Tianhe Stadium. This stadium could hold over 54,000 fans. The club had plans to build a huge new stadium for 100,000 people. However, due to financial problems, this project was stopped. In February 2024, Guangzhou FC announced they would move to the Huadu Stadium.
Ownership and Naming History
The club has had different owners and names over the years. This table shows how the club's name and ownership have changed:
| Year | Owner | Club name | Sponsored team name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–55 | Central and Southern China Institute of Sports | Central and Southern China Sports Institute Football Team | Central and Southern China White |
| 1955 | Guangzhou | ||
| 1956 | Central and Southern China White | ||
| 1956–57 | Guangzhou Institute of Sports | Guangzhou Institute of Sports Football Team | |
| 1958 | Guangzhou Football Team | ||
| 1959–61 | Guangzhou Public Security Bureau | Guangzhou Vanguard Football Team | |
| 1962–66 | Guangzhou Sports Bureau | Guangzhou Football Team | |
| 1977–79 | Guangzhou Youth Football Team | ||
| 1980–84 | Guangzhou Football Team | ||
| 1985–89 | Guangzhou Baiyun | ||
| 1989–93 | Guangzhou Football Club | ||
| 1993–00 | Guangdong Apollo Group | Guangzhou Apollo Football Club | |
| 2001–02 | Guangzhou Sports Bureau | Guangzhou Football Club | Guangzhou Geely |
| 2002–03 | Guangzhou Xiangxue | ||
| 2004–05 | Sunray Cave Group | Guangzhou Sunray Cave | |
| 2006–07 | Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings | Guangzhou GPC Football Club | |
| 2008 | Guangzhou GPC Zhongyi | ||
| 2009 | Guangzhou GPC Baiyunshan | ||
| 2010 | Guangzhou Sports Bureau | Guangzhou Football Club | |
| 2010 | Evergrande Real Estate Group | Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club | Guangzhou GAC |
| 2011–2014 | |||
| 2014–2015 | Evergrande Real Estate Group (50%→60%) Alibaba Group (50%→40%) |
Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club | |
| 2016–2020 | Evergrande Real Estate Group (56.71%) Alibaba Group (37.81%) Other shareholders in NEEQ (5.48%) |
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| 2021– | Guangzhou Football Club |
Kit Manufacturers
The club has used different companies to make their football kits:
| Period | Kit manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Umbro |
| 1995 | Reebok |
| 1996 | Diadora |
| 1997 | Reebok |
| 1998–2005 | Ucan |
| 2006–2007 | Godedke |
| 2008–2023 | Nike |
| 2024– | Kelme |
Rivalries
When professional football started in China in 1994, more than one team could play in the same city. This led to rivalries, like the "Guangzhou derby."
One early rival was Guangzhou Matsunichi. This team used to be Guangzhou FC's youth academy. They even shared the same stadium. In 2000, Guangzhou FC beat Matsunichi, which helped lead to Matsunichi being moved down a league and then closing down.
Later, when Guangzhou R&F moved to the city, a new local derby began. This was called the Canton derby. The first Canton derby was in 2012, and Guangzhou Evergrande lost.
Players
First-team squad
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Coaching Staff
This table shows the current coaching staff for Guangzhou FC:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Salva Suay |
| Assistant coach |  Niu Zhenning |
| Assistant coach | Zhao Yuxiang |
| Goalkeeping coach | Marc Franquesa Puig |
| Fitness coach | Sergio Manuel Pou Rodriguez |
Managerial History
Many different managers have led Guangzhou FC over the years. Here are some of the managers during the professional period:
| Manager | Period | Honours |
|---|---|---|
| Zhou Sui'an |
1994 – 7 June 1995 | |
| Zhang Jingtian |
8 June 1995 – 28 December 1995 | |
| Xie Zhiguang |
January 1996 – 15 April 1996 | |
| Xian Dixiong |
16 April 1996 – December 1996 | |
| Chen Yiming |
January 1997 – 13 August 1997 | |
| Mai Chao |
13 August 1997 – 12 June 1998 | |
| Chen Xirong |
12 June 1998 – 4 May 1999 | |
| Zhao Dayu |
5 May 1999 – December 1999 | |
 Gildo Rodrigues |
January 2000 – 19 April 2000 | |
| Zhou Sui'an |
19 April 2000 – 23 September 2000 | |
| Edson Tavares (caretaker) |
13 November 2000 – 11 December 2000 | |
| Liu Kang |
11 December 2000 – 25 July 2001 | |
| Zhou Sui'an |
25 July 2001 – 2 September 2002 | |
| Wu Qunli |
2 September 2002 – 19 December 2002 | |
| Zhou Sui'an |
19 December 2002 – 18 February 2003 | |
| Mai Chao |
18 February 2003 – 31 October 2005 | |
 Drago Mamić (caretaker) |
25 November 2005 – 25 February 2006 | |
| Qi Wusheng |
25 February 2006 – 31 December 2006 | |
| Shen Xiangfu |
4 January 2007 – 30 November 2009 | 2007 China League One |
| Peng Weiguo (caretaker) |
1 December 2009 – 25 March 2010 | |
 Lee Jang-soo |
25 March 2010 – 16 May 2012 | 2010 China League One 2011 Chinese Super League 2012 Chinese FA Super Cup |
 Marcello Lippi |
17 May 2012 – 2 November 2014 | 2012 Chinese Super League 2012 Chinese FA Cup 2013 Chinese Super League 2013 AFC Champions League 2014 Chinese Super League |
| Fabio Cannavaro |
5 November 2014 – 4 June 2015 | |
| Luiz Felipe Scolari |
4 June 2015 – 5 November 2017 | 2015 Chinese Super League 2015 AFC Champions League 2016 Chinese FA Super Cup 2016 Chinese Super League 2016 Chinese FA Cup 2017 Chinese FA Super Cup 2017 Chinese Super League |
| Fabio Cannavaro |
9 November 2017 – 28 September 2021 | 2018 Chinese FA Super Cup 2019 Chinese Super League |
| Zheng Zhi (caretaker) |
7 December 2021 – January 2022 | |
| Liu Zhiyu |
4 May 2022 – 14 August 2022 | |
| Zheng Zhi |
14 August 2022 – 30 March 2023 | |
| Liu Zhiyu |
30 March 2023 – 5 June 2023 | |
| Salva Suay |
6 June 2023 – present |
Honours and Achievements
Guangzhou FC has won many important titles in Chinese and Asian football.
Domestic League Titles
- Chinese Super League (Top Division):
- Winners (8): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
- Runners-up (2): 2018, 2020
- Chinese Second Division / Jia-B League (Second Division):
- Winners (3): 1956, 1958, 1981
- China League One (Second Division since 2004):
- Winners (2): 2007, 2010
Domestic Cup Titles
- Chinese FA Cup:
- Winners (2): 2012, 2016
- Runners-up (2): 1991, 2013
- Chinese FA Super Cup:
- Winners (4): 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018
International Titles
- AFC Champions League (Asia's Top Club Competition):
- Winners (2): 2013, 2015
- FIFA Club World Cup (World Club Competition):
- Fourth place (2): 2013, 2015
International Players
Many players from Guangzhou FC have also played for their national teams. Players whose names are in bold played for their country while playing for Guangzhou.
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Angola
Australia
Belarus
Brazil
Cameroon
Canada
China PR
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Colombia
DR Congo
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Honduras
Hong Kong
Italy
Korea Republic
Nigeria
Paraguay
Peru
Romania
Serbia
Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay
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See also
In Spanish: Guangzhou Football Club para niños
