Song Zhenyu (Chinese: 宋振瑜; pinyin: Sòng Zhènyú; born September 21, 1981) is a Chinese former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Song Zhenyu
宋振瑜
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-09-21) September 21, 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Dalian, China
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1995–1998 Sichuan Quanxing
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2001 Sichuan Quanxing 13 (0)
2002Chongqing Lifan (loan) 3 (0)
2003Dalian Shide (loan) 0 (0)
2004 Dalian Shide 9 (0)
2005 Sichuan Guancheng 25 (0)
2006–2009 Shenyang Ginde 97 (0)
2010–2011 Chengdu Blades 33 (0)
2011–2012 Tianjin Teda 30 (0)
2013–2016 Changchun Yatai 65 (0)
2017–2021 Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic 74 (0)
International career
2008–2009 China 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Despite being born in Dalian, Liaoning Song Zhenyu would move to Chengdu in the Sichuan province as a boy where he achieved his dream in becoming a professional footballer when he joined top-tier side Sichuan Quanxing in 1999.[1] For the next two seasons he played understudy to Gao Jianbin and made thirteen league appearances during the periods that Gao Jianbin was injured; however, being unable to permanently claim the first-choice goalkeeping position, Song was loaned out to Chongqing Lifan and his hometown football team Dalian Shide.[2] After his loan period expired with Dalian Shide the club would decide to make a permanent move for Song where he played understudy to An Qi and made nine league appearances.

At the beginning of the 2005 league season Song rejoined his first club Sichuan Quanxing (who had renamed themselves Sichuan Guancheng) and immediately became the team's first-choice goalkeeper and helped guide the club to a ninth-place finish at the end of the season; however this wasn't enough for Sichuan in stopping them disbanding the team. In the 2006 league season Song moved to Shenyang Ginde where he rose to prominence by becoming their first choice goalkeeper.[2] The following season would see him continue his establishment within the team despite the club's decision to move to Changsha and rename themselves Changsha Ginde. In 2008 Song became his country's first choice goalkeeper, then he tended to his wife while she battled and recovered from a brain tumor while also having to help guide Changsha Ginde away from relegation at the end of the season.[3]

By the 2010 league season Song proclaimed his desire to move back to Chengdu with his wife while she gave birth to their child and wanted to join second-tier football team Chengdu Blades. He got his wish when he joined Chengdu Blades on the final day of the transfer deadline and played in twenty-four league games in their successful promotion push to the Chinese Super League.[4] Chengdu Blades would however struggle in the top tier and after a heavy 4-1 defeat to Shanghai Shenhua, Song as well several other first team players would be dropped from the team.[5] Halfway through the league season he joined Tianjin Teda F.C. for 1.5 million RMB where he established himself as the first choice goalkeeper and won the 2011 Chinese FA Cup in his debut season.[6]

On 27 February 2017, Song transferred to China League Two side Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic.[7]

Song retired after the 2021 season.[8]

International career

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Song Zhenyu would be called up to the Chinese senior team in 2007 after recently appointed manager Vladimir Petrović decided he was looking for a new goalkeeper. He would fight for the goalkeeping position against Zong Lei and would eventually make his first full international cap for China against Mexico on April 16, 2008 in a 1-0 defeat.[9] Under Petrović's reign Song would become his countries first choice goalkeeper until Gao Hongbo became the Chinese new manager and decided to drop Song from the squad.

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sichuan Quanxing 1999 Chinese Jia-A League 0 0 0 - - - 0 0
2000 7 0 0 - - - 7 0
2001 6 0 0 - - - 6 0
Total 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Chongqing Lifan (loan) 2002 Chinese Jia-A League 3 0 0 - - - 3 0
Dalian Shide (loan) 2003 0 0 0 - 0 0 - 0 0
Dalian Shide 2004 Chinese Super League 9 0 0 0 0 - 9 0
Sichuan Guancheng 2005 25 0 0 0 - - 25 0
Shenyang Ginde 2006 26 0 0 - - - 26 0
2007 26 0 - - - - 26 0
2008 16 0 - - - - 16 0
2009 29 0 - - - - 29 0
Total 97 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 97 0
Chengdu Blades 2010 China League One 24 0 - - - - 24 0
2011 Chinese Super League 9 0 1 0 - - - 10 0
Total 33 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 0
Tianjin Teda 2011 Chinese Super League 15 0 3 0 - - - 18 0
2012 15 0 0 0 - 4 0 1[a] 0 20 0
Total 30 0 3 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 38 0
Changchun Yatai 2013 Chinese Super League 21 0 0 0 - - - 21 0
2014 20 0 1 0 - - - 21 0
2015 19 0 0 0 - - - 20 0
2016 5 0 0 0 - - - 5 0
Total 65 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 66 0
Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic 2017 China League Two 24 0 1 0 - - - 25 0
2018 32 0 2 0 - - - 34 0
2019 China League One 16 0 0 0 - - - 16 0
2020 2 0 - - - - 2 0
2021 0 0 0 0 - - - 0 0
Total 74 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 77 0
Career total 349 0 8 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 362 0
  1. ^ Appearances in Chinese FA Super Cup

Honours

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Club

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Tianjin Teda F.C.

References

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  1. ^ "宋振瑜". sodasoccer.com. 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2020-08-19. Archived 2015-03-25 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b "Sòng, Zhènyú". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
  3. ^ "国门宋振瑜欲卖房救妻 爱人患上脑瘤需开刀(图)". sports.sohu.com. 2008-12-12. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
  4. ^ "前国门宋振瑜正式转会谢菲联 成足主力刘成加盟长沙". sports.sina.com.cn. 2010-02-13. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
  5. ^ "Shanghai Shenhua vs. Chengdu Blades 4-1". soccerway.com. 28 May 2011. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
  6. ^ "宋振瑜稱阿里漢是真正功臣 爆料李瑋鋒怕老婆牌技臭". dailynews.sina.com. 2011-11-22. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
  7. ^ 陕足签宋振瑜等三将,新“西北狼”蓄势待发 at sports.sohu.com 2017-02-27 Retrieved 2016-03-14
  8. ^ "前国脚宋振瑜退役,中国队官方送祝福" (in Chinese). Dongqiudi. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Friendlies 2008". football-lineups.com. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
  10. ^ "足协杯-王新欣于大宝联手逆转 天津2-1胜山东夺冠". Sports.sina.com.cn. 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
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