Sun Xiang

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This is a Chinese name; the family name is Sun.
Sun Xiang
孙祥
Personal information
Full nameSun Xiang
Date of birth (1982-01-15) 15 January 1982
Place of birthShanghai, China
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionLeft back
Club information
Current clubGuangzhou Evergrande
Number32
Youth career
1995–2001Shanghai Cable 02
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002–2010Shanghai Shenhua136(11)
2007→ PSV Eindhoven (loan)5(0)
2008–2009→ Austria Wien (loan)19(2)
2010–Guangzhou Evergrande87(3)
National team‡
2000–2001China U-20
2002–2003China U-23
2002–China69(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 November 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2013

Sun Xiang (simplified Chinese: 孙祥; traditional Chinese: 孫祥; pinyin: Sūn Xiáng; born 15 January 1982) is a Chinese footballer who currently plays for Guangzhou Evergrande in the Chinese Super League.

On 20 February 2007, Sun became the first Chinese footballer to play in a UEFA Champions League match when he played for PSV Eindhoven in a 1–0 win over Arsenal.[1] Sun's twin brother Sun Ji is also a footballer.

Club career

Shanghai Shenhua

Sun Xiang would begin his football career playing for Shanghai Cable 02 before the club were taken over by Shanghai Shenhua. He was then promoted to their senior team at the beginning of the 2002 league season with his twin brother Sun Ji where they would both quickly establish themselves within their team. The following season he would become Shanghai's first choice left-back within the team and go on to win the 2003 league title with them.[2] For the next several seasons, he would continue to be a vital member of the Shanghai team and would attract the attention of PSV Eindhoven.

PSV Eindhoven

Sun and his twin brother Sun Ji both had trials with Eredivisie side PSV Eindhoven late in 2006, but PSV decided they would not sign the pair. PSV would have a change of heart and decided to sign the defender on loan for the latter half of the 2006–07 season with an option to sign him on a three-year contract at the end of the season. The announcement came a day after Sun appealed to be released by his club. "The Dutch proposal is a great opportunity for me to take my career to a new level and I just can't let it slip through my fingers," Sun told the Shanghai Daily. "I am appealing to Shenhua to let me go," he said before the deal.

He would make his debut on 17 February 2007 against Heracles Almelo as a left back with the manager Ronald Koeman remarking that Sun had a deserving debut and contributed to PSV through his good vision and precise passing. His debut would make Sun the first Chinese footballer to play in the Eredivisie. After the end of his loan period, he was rejected by PSV and not awarded with a long-term contract despite appeals from the player of his desire to stay with the Dutch side.[3] Vitesse had shown interest but negotiations with Shenhua and the player stalled and eventually fell through.

Austria Wien

On 1 July 2008, Austria Wien signed Sun on a one-year deal with the possibility of a one year extension. Like before in the Eredivisie and UEFA Champions League, Sun had the honour of being the first Chinese footballer to play in the Austrian Bundesliga.[4] Once again when his loan period expired he would return to the Shanghai where he would play in the remainder of the Chinese 2009 league season.

Guangzhou Evergrande

On 28 April 2010, Sun announced that he would give up joining A-League side Sydney FC and signed a long-term contract with the recently relegated Guangzhou Evergrande instead.[5] He would make his China League One debut for Guangzhou with fellow recently signed Chinese international Zheng Zhi on 21 July, in a 10–0 home win against Nanjing Yoyo. On 18 September 2010, Sun scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 home win against Yanbian FC. In the 2010 season, Sun scored one goal in fourteen appearances as Guangzhou finished first place in the League One and won promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt. The following season Sun would continue to be a major part of the Guangzhou team that would invest heavily in improving the squad and with the club bringing in two time Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Player of the Year award winner Darío Conca the club would win its first ever league title at the end of the 2011 season.

Career statistics

Club statistics

SeasonTeamCountryDivisionAppsGoals
2000Shanghai Cable 02 China3
2001Shanghai Cable 02 China3
2002Shanghai Shenhua China1252
2003Shanghai Shenhua China1252
2004Shanghai Shenhua China1200
2005Shanghai Shenhua China1223
2006Shanghai Shenhua China1152
2006-07PSV Eindhoven Netherlands150
2007Shanghai Shenhua China1142
2008Shanghai Shenhua China140
2008–09Austria Wien Austria1192
2009Shanghai Shenhua China1112
2010Shanghai Shenhua China100
2010Guangzhou Evergrande China2141
2011Guangzhou Evergrande China1251
2012Guangzhou Evergrande China1250
2013Guangzhou Evergrande China1231
Total24718

International goals

Results list China's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
119 June 2005China Changsha Costa Rica 2–2 2–2 Friendly international
231 July 2005South Korea Daejeon South Korea 1–0 1–1 2005 EAFF Championship
311 October 2006Jordan Amman Palestine 2–0 2–0 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifier
422 June 2008Australia Sydney Australia 1–0 1–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier
56 October 2011China Shenzhen United Arab Emirates 1–0 2–1 Friendly international

Honours

Club

Shanghai Shenhua

  • Chinese FA Super Cup: 2002

PSV Eindhoven

Austria Wien

Guangzhou Evergrande

International

China PR national football team

  • East Asian Football Championship: 2005, 2010

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Sun Xiang Makes Chinese History". goal.com. 20 July 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2012. 
  2. ↑ "China 2003". rsssf.com. 18 April 2004. Retrieved 21 August 2012. 
  3. ↑ "Dutch courage not enough for Sun Xiang". shanghaiist.com. Retrieved 21 August 2012. 
  4. ↑ "Sun Xiang joins Austria Vienna". fifa.com. 2 July 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2012. 
  5. ↑ "现身中甲新贵恒大训练场 孙祥不出国门留守广州". sports.sohu.com. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2012.  (Chinese)

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Li Weifeng		 China national football team captain
2012 		Succeeded by
Zheng Zhi
Guangzhou Evergrande F.C. – current squad
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