Zheng Zhi

1. Overview

Zheng Zhi (郑智_{Zhèng Zhì}^Chinese; born 20 August 1980) is a Chinese professional football manager and former player. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the China national football team. Throughout his extensive playing career, Zheng primarily played as a midfielder, though he began as a defender, and was known for his versatility and leadership. He spent the majority of his club career as captain of Guangzhou, leading them to a record eight Chinese Super League titles and two AFC Champions League victories. His career also included significant stints with Shandong Luneng Taishan in China, and overseas with Charlton Athletic in England and Celtic in Scotland. A long-serving captain of the Chinese national team, Zheng Zhi accumulated 108 caps and was recognized as the Asian Footballer of the Year in 2013, solidifying his status as one of China's most influential footballers of his generation.

2. Early Life and Background

Zheng Zhi was born on 20 August 1980, in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China. He began his football journey in 1990, joining various youth academies affiliated with Liaoning. By 1996, he was playing for Liaoning Youth in the China League Two, initially deployed as a right-sided defender. However, in 1998, the Liaoning Youth team faced significant issues related to sponsorship, which led to their assets, including player transfer rights, being frozen. This unfortunate situation resulted in Zheng Zhi and his teammates losing opportunities to play professional football for a period. The team eventually dissolved in 2000, leaving Zheng Zhi without a club for a year.

3. Club Career

Zheng Zhi's professional club career spanned over two decades, marked by significant success in China and brief but notable periods in European leagues.

3.5. Guangzhou F.C.

On 28 June 2010, Zheng Zhi returned to China, joining China League One side Guangzhou Evergrande on a free transfer. The club had been relegated to the second division due to a match-fixing scandal. He made his debut on 17 July 2010 in a 1-1 draw against Hubei Luyin and scored his first goal for the club on 21 July 2010 in a dominant 10-0 win against Nanjing Yoyo. In the 2010 season, Zheng Zhi scored five goals in 11 appearances, helping Guangzhou secure first place in the second division and earn promotion back to the top tier Chinese Super League.

Upon Guangzhou's promotion, Zheng Zhi took over the captaincy from Li Zhihai, who had transferred to Guangdong Sunray Cave. In the 2011 season, he scored five goals in 25 appearances as Guangzhou won the Chinese Super League title in their first year back in the top flight, marking Zheng Zhi's third league title with three different clubs. The club continued its dominance in 2012, winning a domestic double by securing both the league title and the Chinese FA Cup. In the 2013 season, Guangzhou achieved their third consecutive league title. In November 2013, Zheng Zhi captained Guangzhou to victory in the 2013 AFC Champions League Final, making them the first Chinese club ever to win the AFC Champions League. He played the entire final match and proudly lifted the silverware as captain. On 26 November 2013, Zheng Zhi was named the Asian Footballer of the Year by the Asian Football Confederation, becoming only the second Chinese footballer to receive this prestigious award after Fan Zhiyi in 2001.

Zheng Zhi's long and successful spell at Guangzhou continued, with the club winning numerous more titles. In 2019, he briefly served as caretaker manager from 27 October to 3 November when manager Fabio Cannavaro was temporarily relieved of his duties for "corporate culture training." On 5 December 2020, following the club's elimination from the 2020 AFC Champions League group stage, Zheng Zhi was appointed general manager of the club. His son also joined the Guangzhou Evergrande youth academy during this period.

4. International Career

Zheng Zhi's international career with the Chinese national team was extensive and impactful, spanning 17 years and seeing him become a long-serving captain. He was initially called up to the Chinese under-23 national team in 2000, notably as the only player from the third tier to receive such a call-up.

He made his debut for the senior Chinese national team on 7 December 2002, in a 3-1 victory against Syria. His first international goal came on 29 January 2004, in a 1-0 win against Macedonia. When Zhu Guanghu took over as national team manager in 2005, Zheng Zhi was shifted into central midfield, a position he cemented as his primary role for the national team. He captained the under-23 national team that competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing as an over-age player. However, his performance during the tournament was criticized, notably for receiving a red card for an elbow against Belgium.

Under Gao Hongbo's management, Zheng Zhi was appointed captain of the national team. On 3 August 2016, he indicated that the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification would be his last involvement with the national team. On 2 June 2018, Zheng Zhi earned his 100th cap for China in a 2-0 win against Thailand, becoming the fourth Chinese footballer to reach this milestone. Prior to China's 4-0 victory over Myanmar in Dalian on 16 June 2023, the Chinese Football Association held a retirement ceremony for Zheng Zhi, marking the official end of his 27-year professional career. He concluded his international career with 108 appearances and 15 goals for China.

One notable incident in his international career occurred on 2 September 2016, during a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Korea. Zheng Zhi scored an unfortunate own goal when a free-kick taken by Son Heung-min deflected off Ji Dong-won's head and then off Zheng Zhi's right foot into the net. China ultimately lost the match 2-3, despite goals from Yu Hai and Hao Junmin.

5. Play Style and Position

Zheng Zhi was renowned for his versatility and ability to play multiple roles across the pitch, earning him the reputation of a multi-role player. He began his career as a right-sided defender, notably playing this position when he was called up to the U23 national team in 1999. However, his breakthrough at the club level came when he was converted to an attacking midfielder, a position where he truly excelled and gained prominence.

Under the management of Arie Haan for the national team, Zheng Zhi frequently played as a centre-back, a role he maintained for a significant period. During the 2004 AFC Asian Cup, while playing as a centre-back, he contributed three goals and helped China reach the final, where they finished as runners-up. While his defensive prowess was high, some critics argued that his move from the defensive line to a more advanced role or to centre-back sometimes led to a decrease in the overall defensive strength of the team.

During his time in Europe with Charlton Athletic and Celtic, he predominantly played as an attacking midfielder. Upon his return to China and joining Guangzhou Evergrande, he settled into a defensive midfield role (ボランチ_volanchi^Japanese), becoming a crucial holding player. Despite this, he occasionally filled in as a centre-forward or centre-back for the national team during this period, showcasing his adaptability.

Zheng Zhi served as captain for both the Chinese national team and Guangzhou Evergrande, often wearing the number 10 jersey for both, even into his late 30s. He was also a primary set-piece taker for his teams. His exceptional abilities were highly praised by fellow players, including Dan Ito and Escudero Koki, who lauded his talent on social media. His consistent high-level performance, including two AFC Champions League titles and the 2013 AFC Player of the Year award, made him a representative player for Chinese football in the post-2002 FIFA World Cup era, enjoying the favor of coaches like Marcello Lippi.

6. Managerial Career

Zheng Zhi transitioned into football management towards the end of his playing career and immediately after his retirement.
His first managerial experience came on 27 October 2019, when he was appointed caretaker manager of Guangzhou F.C. after Fabio Cannavaro was temporarily relieved of his position. He held this interim role until 3 November 2019.
On 5 December 2020, following Guangzhou's elimination from the 2020 AFC Champions League group stage, Zheng Zhi was appointed general manager of the club.
In 2021, amidst the financial difficulties faced by the Evergrande Group, Zheng Zhi took on a player-manager role at Guangzhou F.C. following Fabio Cannavaro's resignation. He continued as manager of Guangzhou FC until 2023.
Currently, Zheng Zhi serves as an assistant coach for the China national football team.

7. Honours

Zheng Zhi's career was decorated with numerous team and individual accolades, reflecting his significant impact on Chinese football.

8. Controversies and Incidents

Despite his distinguished career, Zheng Zhi was involved in several controversial incidents:

• 2005 AFC Champions League Incident:** During the 2005-06 AFC Champions League match where Shandong Luneng lost to Al-Ittihad, Zheng Zhi was disciplined for spitting water at the referee. This action resulted in a red card, a six-month ban from all matches, and a fine of 4.50 K USD.
• 2005 Domestic League Incident:** In the same year, following a domestic league match against Shenyang Ginde, Zheng Zhi was involved in a confrontation where he pursued a referee who had refused to shake his hand after the game.
• 2006 Djibril Cissé Injury:** In a friendly match against the France national team in 2006, leading up to the FIFA World Cup, Zheng Zhi was involved in a collision with French striker Djibril Cissé. The contact resulted in Cissé sustaining a severe injury, which forced him to withdraw from France's World Cup squad. While the injury was deemed accidental and without malicious intent on Zheng Zhi's part, the incident unfortunately brought him negative notoriety.
• 2015 World Cup Qualifier Spitting Incident:** On 3 September 2015, after a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hong Kong in Shenzhen, footage was released showing Zheng Zhi arguing with Hong Kong goalkeeper Yapp Hung Fai and spitting water.

9. Personal Life

Zheng Zhi married in 2004 and has one son and one daughter. His son has followed in his footsteps, joining the youth academy of Guangzhou Evergrande, the club where Zheng Zhi achieved much of his professional success.

10. Career Statistics