1. Overview
Zhao Xuri (赵旭日Zhào XùrìChinese; born December 3, 1985) is a Chinese professional footballer who primarily plays as a midfielder. Known for his versatility and strong physical presence, he has had a distinguished career playing for several prominent clubs in the Chinese football league system, including Dalian Shide, Guangzhou Evergrande, and Tianjin Quanjian. He has also been a long-standing member of the China national football team, representing his country in various international competitions, including the AFC Asian Cup and the Summer Olympics.
2. Player Career
Zhao Xuri's professional football journey began in the early 2000s, progressing through various clubs in China before establishing himself as a key player both domestically and internationally. His career is marked by significant club achievements, including multiple league titles and continental championships, as well as extensive involvement with the Chinese national team.
2.1. Club Career
Zhao Xuri started his football career in 2002 with second-tier side Dalian Sidelong, though he did not make a significant impact on the squad during this period. However, his potential was recognized by top-tier club Sichuan First City, where he transferred. In the 2003 league season, Zhao quickly rose to prominence, establishing himself as an integral member of the team by playing in 27 league games and scoring two goals in his debut season. The following season, 2004, proved more challenging as Zhao was sidelined by injury for most of the season, making only nine appearances. Despite the injury, he remained highly regarded and was transferred to Dalian Shide at the start of the 2005 season. His versatility allowed him to quickly become a regular starter for Dalian Shide, and he contributed to the team winning the top-tier league title and the Chinese FA Cup in 2005. He remained with Dalian Shide until the end of the 2009 season.
At the start of the 2010 season, Zhao transferred to Shaanxi Renhe, where he played for two seasons, making 50 appearances. On December 26, 2011, Zhao transferred to Guangzhou Evergrande alongside Rong Hao, Li Jianbin, and Peng Xinli. He made his debut for Guangzhou Evergrande on February 25, 2012, in a 2-1 victory against Tianjin Teda in the 2012 Chinese FA Super Cup. His first goal for the club came on July 21, 2012, in a 2-1 win against Henan Jianye. During his tenure with Guangzhou Evergrande, Zhao was part of a highly successful period, securing four consecutive Chinese Super League titles from 2012 to 2015, the 2012 Chinese FA Cup, the 2012 Chinese FA Super Cup, and two AFC Champions League titles in 2013 and 2015.
On January 21, 2016, Zhao transferred to China League One side Tianjin Quanjian. He made his debut for the club on March 13, 2016, in a 3-0 win against Qingdao Huanghai, and scored his first goal on March 19, 2016, in a 5-2 victory against Zhejiang Yiteng. Under the management of Fabio Cannavaro, Zhao played a crucial role in Tianjin Quanjian's promotion from the second division to the first division. After three seasons with Tianjin Quanjian, Zhao transferred to fellow Chinese Super League side Dalian Professional on February 13, 2019. He spent three seasons with Dalian Professional before leaving on a free transfer to join Sichuan Jiuniu on May 1, 2022. He most recently played for Guangxi Pingguo Haliao.
2.2. National Team Career
Zhao Xuri's impressive performances for Sichuan First City in the 2003 season earned him an immediate call-up to the China national football team. He made his international debut at the age of 17 on December 7, 2003, in a 1-0 loss against South Korea during the 2003 East Asian Football Championship. During the same tournament, he scored his first international goal on December 10, 2003, in a 3-1 victory against Hong Kong. His versatility secured him significant playing time, leading to his selection for the squad participating in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, where he played in two group games before China was eliminated in the group stage.
In 2008, Zhao was eligible to represent China in the 2008 Summer Olympics as part of the China U-23 national football team. He featured in two of the three group games during the tournament. Following the Olympics, Zhao was temporarily dropped from the national team until then-manager Gao Hongbo recalled him for his first game on May 29, 2009, which ended in a 1-1 draw against Germany. He also participated in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, both of which saw China exit in the group stage. Throughout his career, Zhao Xuri has accumulated 87 international appearances, scoring 2 goals for the Chinese national team.
3. Statistics
This section provides a comprehensive overview of Zhao Xuri's professional career statistics, detailing his appearances and goals for both clubs and the national team across various seasons and competitions.
3.1. Club Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Dalian Sidelong | 2002 | Chinese Jia-B League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||
| Sichuan First City | 2003 | Chinese Jia-A League | 27 | 2 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 30 | 2 | |||
| 2004 | Chinese Super League | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 2 | |||
| Total | 37 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 4 | ||
| Dalian Shide | 2005 | Chinese Super League | 21 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 26 | 2 | ||
| 2006 | 27 | 2 | 6 | 1 | - | 5 | 0 | - | 38 | 3 | ||||
| 2007 | 25 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 25 | 4 | ||||||
| 2008 | 23 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 23 | 1 | ||||||
| 2009 | 27 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 27 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 123 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 11 | ||
| Shaanxi Renhe | 2010 | Chinese Super League | 24 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 24 | 0 | ||||
| 2011 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 26 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 0 | ||
| Guangzhou Evergrande | 2012 | Chinese Super League | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | - | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |||
| 2014 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 | |||
| 2015 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |||
| Total | 80 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 134 | 7 | ||
| Tianjin Quanjian | 2016 | China League One | 22 | 6 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 24 | 7 | |||
| 2017 | Chinese Super League | 26 | 3 | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | 30 | 3 | ||||
| 2018 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | 10 | 3 | - | 35 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 72 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 89 | 15 | ||
| Dalian Professional | 2019 | Chinese Super League | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 10 | 0 | |||||
| 2021 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 21 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 37 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 399 | 31 | 41 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 498 | 38 | ||
Notes for 'Other' column:
- In 2012, the 'Other' appearance was in the Chinese FA Super Cup.
- In 2013, the 'Other' appearances included one in the Chinese FA Super Cup and three in the FIFA Club World Cup.
- In 2015, the 'Other' appearance was in the Chinese FA Super Cup.
- In 2021, the 'Other' appearances were in the Chinese Super League Relegation play-offs.
3.2. International Statistics
| National team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2003 | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 | 6 | 0 |
| 2005 | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 | 6 | 0 |
| 2007 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 11 | 0 |
| 2010 | 8 | 0 |
| 2011 | 9 | 0 |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 |
| 2013 | 9 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 87 | 2 |
International goals
:Scores and results list China's goal tally first.
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 10 December 2003 | International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama, Japan | Hong Kong | 1-0 | 3-1 | 2003 East Asian Football Championship |
| 2. | 6 February 2013 | Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam, Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia | 1-1 | 1-2 | 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualifier |
4. Honours
Zhao Xuri has amassed a significant collection of titles and accolades throughout his career, both with his clubs and while representing the Chinese national team.
4.1. Club Honours
Dalian Shide
- Chinese Super League: 2005
- Chinese FA Cup: 2005
Guangzhou Evergrande
- Chinese Super League: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Chinese FA Cup: 2012
- Chinese FA Super Cup: 2012
- AFC Champions League: 2013, 2015
Tianjin Quanjian
- China League One: 2016
4.2. International Honours
China PR national football team
- East Asian Football Championship: 2005, 2010