Shandong Taishan F.C. facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Shandong Taishan" redirects here. For the mountain in Shandong, see Mount Tai. For other uses, see Taishan.

Quick facts for kids
Shandong Taishan
山东泰山

Full name

Shandong Taishan Football Club
山东泰山足球俱乐部

Nickname(s)

Taishan Dui (Chinese: 泰山队; literally "The team of Mount Tai")

Founded

10 April 1956; 69 years ago (Semi-professional)
2 December 1993; 31 years ago (Professional)

Ground

Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium

Capacity

56,808

Owner

Shandong Luneng Group

Chairman

Sun Hua

Head coach

Choi Kang-hee

Home colours

Away colours

Shandong Taishan F.C.

Traditional Chinese

山東泰山

Simplified Chinese

山东泰山

Literal meaning

Shandong Mount Tai

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Shāndōng Tàishān

The Shandong Taishan Football Club is a professional football team from Jinan, Shandong, China. They play in the top Chinese football league. Their home games are held at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium. The club is named after Mount Tai, a famous mountain in Shandong.

Shandong Taishan is one of only four clubs that have always stayed in China's top football league since the Chinese Super League started in 2004. The club began as the Shandong Provincial team on April 10, 1956. It became a professional team on December 2, 1993. They were one of the first professional teams in China's top league.

The team won its first league title in 1999. They have also won league titles in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2021. This makes them one of the most successful football clubs in China.

Club History: From Provincial Team to Professional Powerhouse

Starting Out: The Early Years

The club started on April 10, 1956, as the Shandong Provincial team. They joined the Chinese football league, which was growing at the time. In their first season in 1957, they were in the second division.

The team improved over the years. They also focused on the Chinese National Games, a big sports event. In 1965, they finished ninth in that tournament. Football leagues were paused for a few years because of the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Returning to the Top League

When the league restarted in 1973, Shandong joined the top division. They finished ninth that year. The team became a regular in the top league. In 1979, they won the Chinese National Games, beating Beijing 3–1 in the final.

This success helped the team in the league. They finished second in 1981 and 1982. However, their strong performance didn't last. By 1989, they were relegated to a lower division for the first time. The next season, they were relegated again to the third division.

Becoming a Professional Team

Shandong quickly bounced back. They won the third division title in 1991 and were promoted. In 1992, the Chinese Football Association decided to make football fully professional. This motivated the club, and they earned promotion to the first professional top league, the 1994 Chinese Jia-A League.

On December 2, 1993, Shandong football club became fully professional. They found sponsors and changed their name to Shandong Taishan Football Club. Soon after, on January 29, 1994, the city of Jinan also sponsored the club. The team's name changed again to Shandong Jinan Taishan Football Club.

Challenges and First Cup Win

In the first professional season in 1994, the club faced money problems. Players were sometimes paid late. They also couldn't afford foreign players, unlike most other teams. Some experienced players left the team.

Despite these challenges, manager Yin Tiesheng brought in young talent. Players like Li Xiaopeng and Liu Yue got their chance. Strikers Su Maozhen and Tang Xiaocheng became very popular. In 1995, Shandong won the Chinese FA Cup, beating the league champions Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.

After this victory, Shandong General Tobacco (Group) Co., Ltd. became a major sponsor in 1996. This helped the club financially. Su Maozhen became the league's top scorer, and the team reached another cup final in 1996.

New Owners and First Foreign Coach

On January 5, 1998, Shandong Electric Power Group Corporation became the main owners. They changed the club's name to Shandong Luneng Football Club. The new owners wanted a fresh start. They hired the club's first foreign coach, Kim Jung-Nam, for the 1998 season. Kim had coached South Korea in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He tried to make the team play more offensively. However, the team didn't win much, and Kim resigned. Yin Tiesheng returned to help the team avoid relegation.

Winning the First League Title

On December 25, 1998, Slobodan Santrač, a former coach for the Yugoslavia national team, became the new manager. With new foreign players like goalkeeper Saša Petrović and striker Luis Romero, along with Chinese stars like Su Maozhen and Li Xiaopeng, Shandong surprised everyone. They won their first league title on the last day of the 1999 season by beating Chongqing Longxin 5–0.

A few days later, they also won their first domestic cup double by beating Dalian Wanda in the 1999 Chinese FA Cup. Santrač was named 'Coach of the Year'. However, there were later issues regarding fair play in that cup win, and the club was penalized by the Chinese football association.

Changes in Leadership and Coaches

After their big win, Shandong struggled in the 2000 season. Santrač resigned, and youth coach Đoko Koković took over temporarily. In 2000, Dong Gang became the new general manager. He hired Russian coach Boris Ignatiev. Despite having top scorer Casiano Delvalle and other foreign players, the team started the 2001 season poorly. They also had tough losses in the 2000–01 Asian Club Championship.

In 2001, Nii Lamptey and Márcio Santos joined the team. Lamptey helped Shandong regain confidence, and they finished the season strongly. Another Russian coach, Valeri Nepomniachi, took over in 2001. The team improved, finishing 4th in 2002. However, they struggled in 2003, barely avoiding relegation.

Li Jinyu in action for Shandong Luneng

In 2004, Serbian coach Ljubiša Tumbaković joined. With new players like Li Jinyu and Han Peng, the club won the 2004 Chinese FA Cup. They also signed Zheng Zhi, another Chinese international player. In the 2005 AFC Champions League, they reached the quarter-finals but lost to Al Ittihad. This loss affected their league performance, and they finished third in 2005.

League Dominance and More Trophies

In the 2006 Chinese Super League season, Tumbaković led the team to victory. With talented young players like Cui Peng, Zhou Haibin, and Wang Yongpo, Shandong won the league title easily. Zheng Zhi was named the league's most valuable player, and Li Jinyu was the top goal scorer.

Zheng Zhi then moved to English club Charlton Athletic. His departure affected the team in the 2007 AFC Champions League, where they were knocked out in the group stage. They also couldn't defend their league title. However, Tumbaković regrouped the team, and they won the 2008 league title on the final day.

In 2009, Zhou Haibin left for a Dutch club. This made pre-season difficult. Shandong was knocked out of the 2009 AFC Champions League in the group stage. Their league form also suffered, and Tumbaković left the club.

New Managers and Continued Success

In 2009, Sun Guoyu became the new general manager. He hired Branko Ivanković as head coach. The team signed Deng Zhuoxiang to boost their midfield. Shandong was again knocked out of the 2010 AFC Champions League in the group stage. However, they recovered and won the league title that season.

In 2011, a young player, Zhang Chi, was seriously injured. This affected the team's start to the season. Ivanković resigned, and Rajko Magić took over, followed by Manuel Barbosa. The team finished as runners-up in the 2011 Chinese FA Cup.

In 2012, Dutch coach Henk ten Cate became the manager. He tried to use more young players, but the team struggled. Experienced players were brought back, but the club was close to relegation. Henk ten Cate resigned, and Wu Jingui took over.

Cuca's Era and FA Cup Glory

Shandong Luneng taking on Palmeiras in January 2015

On December 22, 2013, Brazilian coach Cuca joined Shandong Luneng. In 2013, Shandong was eliminated from the AFC Champions League group stage. On November 22, 2014, Ryan McGowan scored a late goal to help the team win the Chinese FA Cup against Jiangsu Sainty. This win qualified them for the next year's Champions League. In 2015, Cuca's team again failed to get past the group stage in the 2015 AFC Champions League. However, they finished third in the domestic league, earning a spot in the 2016 AFC Champions League qualification.

Mano Menezes and Felix Magath

In December 2015, former Brazil national team manager Mano Menezes became Shandong's new head coach. On April 21, 2016, Shandong reached the Round of 16 in the 2016 AFC Champions League after 11 years. They then defeated Sydney FC to reach the Quarter-finals. However, poor results in the domestic league led to Menezes' resignation in June 2016. Felix Magath was appointed the next day.

Recent Success and New Leadership

In 2017, Li Xiaopeng became the new manager. He led the club to strong performances, including a third-place finish in the 2018 Chinese Super League. They also reached two Chinese FA Cup finals, winning in 2020 and finishing as runner-up in 2019.

After Li Xiaopeng, Hao Wei became the manager in 2020. The team won the 2021 Chinese Super League title. They also won three Chinese FA Cups in a row: 2020, 2021, and 2022. This was the 8th time Taishan won the FA Cup.

In May 2023, Choi Kang-hee became the team's new coach. In 2023, the team finished as league runner-up and cup runner-up. They also advanced past the group stage in the AFC Champions League. As of July 2025, the team ranks fifth in the Chinese Super League and was the runner-up of the 2024 Chinese FA Cup.

Team Kits and Logos

When the club became professional in 1994, they started getting sponsors for their kits. Adidas provided their kits from 1994 to 2001. Then, Mizuno took over from 2002 to 2004. Nike has been providing the kits since 2005. In 2011, Nike signed a 10-year deal to provide all apparel for the entire Chinese Super League.

Crest history

Shandong Taishan logo used between 1993 and 1994
Shandong Taishan logo used in 1995
Shandong Taishan logo used in 1996
Shandong Taishan logo used in 1997
Shandong Taishan logo used between 1998 and 2021
Shandong Taishan logo used since 2022

Partner Clubs Around the World

Shandong Taishan has partnerships with other football clubs globally. These partnerships help with player development and sharing knowledge.

Júbilo Iwata (since 2005)
Adelaide United (since 2008)
São Paulo (since 2013)

Current Team Players

First Team Squad

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Yu Jinyong
5	DF	Zheng Zheng
6	DF	Wang Tong
8	MF	Guilherme Madruga
9	FW	Cryzan
10	MF	Valeri Qazaishvili
11	DF	Liu Yang
15	DF	Lluís López
14	GK	Wang Dalei
17	MF	Wu Xinghan
19	FW	Zeca
21	MF	Liu Binbin
22	MF	Li Yuanyi
23	MF	Xie Wenneng
27	DF	Shi Ke
29	FW	Chen Pu

No.	Position	Player
31	DF	Zhao Jianfei
32	GK	Sun Qihang
33	DF	Gao Zhunyi
35	DF	Huang Zhengyu
38	FW	Raphaël Merkies
41	MF	Imran Memet
44	DF	Shi Songchen
45	MF	Chen Zeshi
51	GK	Liu Qiwei
55	DF	Peng Xiao
57	MF	Wang Haobin
58	FW	Peng Yixiang
59	FW	Mei Shuaijun
60	DF	Shemshidin Yusupjan
61	DF	Qi Qiancheng

B-Team Squad

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Liu Qingchang
9	DF	Yan Hengye
41	MF	Imran Memet
42	MF	Wang Jiancong
43	MF	Sun Ziyue
44	DF	Shi Songchen
45	MF	Chen Zeshi
46	MF	Tang Rui
47	FW	He Kanghua
48	DF	Meng Fanning
49	MF	Ezher Tashmemet
50	GK	Fu Zhenhao
51	GK	Liu Qiwei
52	FW	Lu Junwei
53	DF	Wang Tianyou
54	MF	Ma Yinhao

No.	Position	Player
55	DF	Peng Xiao
56	DF	Jing Xinbo
57	MF	Wang Haobin
58	FW	Peng Yixiang
59	FW	Mei Shuaijun
60	DF	Shemshidin Yusupjan
61	DF	Qi Qiancheng
62	MF	Fu Yuxuan
63	DF	Hao Fubo
64	DF	Yang Ruiqi
65	MF	Yin Jiaxin
66	DF	He Bingzhuang
67	MF	Long Tingwei
68	MF	Gong Ruicong
69	DF	Yue Ruijie
70	MF	Yang Yang
71	GK	Niu Bowei
72	FW	Zhang Yutong

Players on Loan

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Jia Feifan (at Qingdao Hainiu until 31 December 2025)
		DF	Song Long (at Qingdao Hainiu until 31 December 2025)
		MF	Pedro Delgado (at Chengdu Rongcheng until 31 December 2025)
		MF	Duan Liuyu (at Qingdao West Coast until 31 December 2025)
		DF	Ji Xiang (at Nanjing City until 31 December 2025)
		DF	Qi Tianyu (at Shanghai Jiading Huilong until 31 December 2025)
		MF	Peng Xinli (at Changchun Yatai until 31 December 2025)

No.		Position	Player
		MF	Mewlan Mijit (at Qingdao Hainiu until 31 December 2025)
		MF	Abdurasul Abudulam (at Henan FC until 31 December 2025)
		MF	Lu Yongtao (at Henan FC until 31 December 2025)
		FW	Bi Jinhao (at Dalian Yingbo until 31 December 2025)
		DF	Zhang Chi (at Qingdao Hainiu until 31 December 2025)
		GK	Liu Shibo (at Qingdao Red Lions until 31 December 2025)
		FW	Liu Guobao (at Changchun Yatai until 31 December 2025)

Retired Numbers

12 – Club Supporters (the 12th Man) retired in February 2017. This number is often retired by football clubs to honor their fans, who are seen as the "12th player" on the field.

Coaching Staff

Name	Role
Choi Kang-hee	Head coach
Han Peng	Interim coach
Kim Hyun-Min	Assistant coach
Liu Jindong	Assistant coach
Xu Haipeng	Assistant coach
Zhao Shuo	Assistant coach
Lucas Cerqueira	Goalkeeping coach
Wen Huyi	Fitness coach
Tang Tian	Athletic coach

Source:

Club Achievements

League Titles

Chinese Super League:
- Winners (4): 2006, 2008, 2010, 2021
Chinese Jia-A League (1994–2003)
- Winners: 1999

Cup Wins

Chinese FA Cup:
- Winners (8): 1995, 1999, 2004, 2006, 2014, 2020, 2021, 2022
Chinese Super League Cup
- Winners: 2004
Chinese FA Super Cup
- Winners: 2015