Sun Xiang facts for kids
Sun in 2008
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sun Xiang | ||
| Date of birth | 15 January 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Shanghai, China | ||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||
| Playing position | Left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–2001 | Shanghai 02 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2010 | Shanghai Shenhua | 136 | (13) |
| 2007 | → PSV Eindhoven (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → Austria Wien (loan) | 19 | (2) |
| 2010–2014 | Guangzhou Evergrande | 110 | (3) |
| 2015–2016 | Shanghai SIPG | 51 | (0) |
| Total | 321 | (18) | |
| National team | |||
| 2000–2001 | China U-20 | ||
| 2002–2003 | China U-23 | ||
| 2002–2013 | China | 69 | (5) |
|
|||
Sun Xiang (born January 15, 1982) is a former Chinese professional footballer. He played as a left back. This means he played on the left side of the defense.
Sun Xiang played for several teams in China. These include Shanghai Shenhua, Guangzhou Evergrande, and Shanghai SIPG. He also played on loan for clubs in Europe. He joined PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands and Austria Wien in Austria. Sun Xiang made history as the first Chinese player to play in the UEFA Champions League. He also played 69 games for the China national team, scoring 5 goals.
Contents
Sun Xiang's Club Career Highlights
Sun Xiang had a long and successful career playing for different football clubs. He started in China and later played in Europe.
Playing for Shanghai Shenhua
Sun Xiang began his football journey at Shanghai 02. This club was later taken over by Shanghai Shenhua. In 2002, he joined the first team. His twin brother, Sun Ji, also joined the team. Both quickly became important players.
In 2003, Sun Xiang became the main left back for the club. He helped his team win the top league title that year. However, the Chinese Football Association later removed this title. This was due to issues found in how the season was managed.
Time with PSV Eindhoven
Sun Xiang and his brother caught the eye of clubs outside China. In 2006, they had trials with Eredivisie team PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands. PSV decided to sign Sun Xiang on a loan for the 2006–07 season.
He played his first game for PSV on February 17, 2007. This made him the first Chinese footballer to play in the Eredivisie league. A few days later, on February 20, 2007, he played in the UEFA Champions League. This was a big moment, as he was the first Chinese player to do so. His manager, Ronald Koeman, praised his good vision and passing. After his loan ended, PSV did not offer him a permanent contract.
Playing for Austria Wien
On July 1, 2008, Sun Xiang went on loan again. This time, he joined Austria Wien in the Austrian Football Bundesliga. He was the first Chinese player to play in this league. He played his first game on July 9, 2008.
He scored his first goal for the club on March 7, 2009. It was in a big 4–0 win. After his loan finished, he went back to Shanghai. He played for Shanghai Shenhua for the rest of the 2009 season.
Joining Guangzhou Evergrande
On April 28, 2010, Sun Xiang decided to join Guangzhou Evergrande. This team was in the second tier of Chinese football. He played his first game for them on July 21, 2010. It was a huge 10–0 victory.
He scored his first goal for Guangzhou on September 18, 2010. In 2010, Guangzhou finished first in their league. They were promoted back to the top division. The next year, Guangzhou Evergrande invested a lot in new players. They brought in famous players like Darío Conca. With Sun Xiang, the team won their first ever top league title in 2011. He continued to be a key player as the team won more titles.
Moving to Shanghai SIPG
On January 5, 2015, Sun Xiang moved to another Chinese Super League team. He joined Shanghai SIPG. He played his first game for them on March 7, 2015.
On July 17, 2016, Sun Xiang was involved in an accidental collision during a game. This led to an injury for another player. In December 2016, it was reported that Sun Xiang had health issues. On February 6, 2017, Shanghai SIPG announced that Sun Xiang had left the club due to "physical problems."
Sun Xiang's Career Achievements
Sun Xiang won many awards and titles during his football career.
Club Honours
- Shanghai Shenhua
- Chinese FA Super Cup: 2002
- PSV Eindhoven
- Eredivisie: 2006–07
- Austria Wien
- Austrian Cup: 2008–09
- Guangzhou Evergrande
- Chinese Super League: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
- Chinese League One: 2010
- Chinese FA Cup: 2012
- Chinese Super Cup: 2012
- AFC Champions League: 2013
International Honours
- China National Team
- East Asian Football Championship: 2005, 2010
Individual Awards
- Chinese Super League Team of the Year: 2005, 2012
- AFC Champions League Dream Team: 2013
Images for kids
-
Sun Xiang in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Sun Xiang para niños
