Sun Xiang facts for kids
Sun in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sun Xiang | ||
| Date of birth | 15 January 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Shanghai, China | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | 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) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000–2001 | China U-20 | ||
| 2002–2003 | China U-23 | ||
| 2002–2013 | China | 69 | (5) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2017- | Shanghai Port（vice general manager） | ||
| 2022 | China (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Sun Xiang (born January 15, 1982) is a former professional footballer from China. He played as a left back. Sun Xiang is famous for being the first Chinese player to play in the UEFA Champions League. He played for several big clubs in China, like Shanghai Shenhua and Guangzhou Evergrande. He also played on loan for teams in the Netherlands and Austria. Sun Xiang was a key player for the Chinese national team, playing in 69 games and scoring 5 goals.
Contents
Sun Xiang's Club Football Journey
Starting Out at Shanghai Shenhua
Sun Xiang began his football journey at a club called Shanghai 02. Later, this club became part of Shanghai Shenhua. In 2002, he joined the main team along with his twin brother, Sun Ji. Both brothers quickly became important players for the team.
In 2003, Sun Xiang became the main left back for Shanghai Shenhua. That year, his team won the top league title in China. However, in 2013, the Chinese Football Association took away this title. They found out that the club's general manager had broken rules during that season.
Playing in Europe: PSV Eindhoven
Sun Xiang and his brother caught the eye of many clubs outside China. In 2006, they had tryouts with PSV Eindhoven, a team in the Netherlands. PSV decided to sign Sun Xiang on a loan deal for the 2006–07 season.
He made his first game for PSV on February 17, 2007. This made him the first Chinese footballer to play in the Eredivisie, which is the top league in the Netherlands. A few days later, on February 20, 2007, he played in a UEFA Champions League match against Arsenal. This was a big moment, as he became the first Chinese player ever to play in the Champions League. His coach, Ronald Koeman, was impressed with his performance. After his loan ended, he returned to China.
Playing in Europe: Austria Wien
On July 1, 2008, Sun Xiang went on loan again, this time to Austria Wien in Austria. He was the first Chinese footballer to play in the Austrian Football Bundesliga. He played his first game for them on July 9, 2008.
He scored his first goal for Austria Wien on March 7, 2009, in a big 4–0 win. After his loan period finished, he went back to Shanghai Shenhua for the rest of the 2009 season.
Success with Guangzhou Evergrande
On April 28, 2010, Sun Xiang joined Guangzhou Evergrande. This team was in the second division at the time. He made his debut for the club on July 21, 2010, in a huge 10–0 victory. He scored his first goal for them on September 18, 2010.
In 2010, Guangzhou Evergrande finished first in the second division. This meant they were promoted back to the top league. The next year, the club brought in famous players like Darío Conca. With Sun Xiang as a key player, Guangzhou Evergrande won their first ever top league title in 2011. They continued to win many more titles, including the AFC Champions League in 2013.
Final Years at Shanghai SIPG
On January 5, 2015, Sun Xiang moved to another Chinese Super League team, Shanghai SIPG. He played his first game for them on March 7, 2015.
In July 2016, during a game, Sun Xiang accidentally collided with another player, Demba Ba. In December 2016, it was reported that Sun Xiang had some health issues. On February 6, 2017, Shanghai SIPG announced that Sun Xiang had left the club due to "physical problems."
Sun Xiang's International Goals
Sun Xiang also scored goals for the Chinese national team. Here are his international goals:
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 June 2005 | Helong Stadium, Changsha, China |  Costa Rica |
2–2 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 31 July 2005 | Daejeon World Cup Stadium, Daejeon, South Korea |  South Korea |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2005 East Asian Football Championship |
| 3 | 11 October 2006 | King Abdullah Stadium, Amman, Jordan |  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]] |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifier |
| 4 | 22 June 2008 | Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia |  Australia |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier |
| 5 | 6 October 2011 | New Shenzhen Stadium, Shenzhen, China |  United Arab Emirates |
1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Awards and Achievements
Sun Xiang won many awards and titles during his football career.
Club Honors
- Shanghai Shenhua
- Chinese FA Super Cup: 2002
- PSV Eindhoven
- Eredivisie: 2006–07 (Dutch League Champions)
- Austria Wien
- Austrian Cup: 2008–09
- Guangzhou Evergrande
- Chinese Super League: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (Chinese Top League Champions)
- Chinese League One: 2010 (Chinese Second League Champions)
- Chinese FA Cup: 2012
- Chinese Super Cup: 2012
- AFC Champions League: 2013 (Asian Champions League)
International Honors
- China
- East Asian Football Championship: 2005, 2010
Individual Awards
- Chinese Super League Team of the Year: 2005, 2012
- AFC Champions League Dream Team: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Sun Xiang para niños
