| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 March 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Shanghai, China | ||
| Height | 1.88 m | ||
| Playing position | Left-back, Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Shanghai Shenhua | ||
| Number | 13 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995-1997 | Shanghai Shenhua | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998-2004 | Shaanxi Baorong | ||
| 2005-present | Shanghai Shenhua | 92 | (8) |
| 2010 | → Shenzhen Ruby | 6 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 2009-Present | China | 4 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 March 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Cheng Liang (Chinese: 成亮; pinyin: Chéng Liàng) (born 3 March 1977 in Shanghai) is a Chinese football player who currently plays for Shanghai Shenhua.
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Originally starting his football career with the Shanghai Shenhua youth team Cheng Liang would find it differcult to break into the senior team where he was considered too weak and not fast enough to compete in the top tier. Leaving Shanghai Shenhua in 1997 Cheng Liang would instead join second tier club Shanghai Pudong (now currently known as Shaanxi Chanba) and would eventually start his professional football career in the 1998 league season.[1] After playing for Shanghai Pudong for several seasons and seeing them win promotion to the top tier he would transfer back to Shanghai Shenhua when Shanghai Pudong moved to Xi'an and changed their name.[2]
In the 2005 league season he would make his debut for Shanghai Shenhua against Qingdao Zhongneng on April 2, 2005 in a 2-0 win.[3] Cheng Liang however found his time limited at left-back due to Sun Xiang being the first choice left back within the team. Cheng Liang would nevertheless still establish himself within the team because of his versatility to also play as a centre-back. From the beginning of the 2009 season, he took the captaincy and on April 16, the club announced that he will also assume the role of assistant manager.[4]
Despite already being 32 years old Cheng Liang was to make his international debut against Germany on the 29th May 2009, in an impressive 1-1 friendly that saw him play as a centre-back.[5] He would continue to play as a centre-back for china's following friendly against Saudi Arabia on June 4, 2009 where China lost 4-1.[6] Despite the defeat Cheng Liang has continued to be included in several further squads to add experience towards the team.
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