Li Shuai (footballer, born 1995)

Li Shuai (Chinese: 李帅; pinyin: Lǐ Shuài; born 18 June 1995) is a Chinese professional footballer who currently plays as a left-back for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port and the China national team.

Li Shuai
李帅
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-06-18) 18 June 1995 (age 29)
Place of birthShenyang, Liaoning, China
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)Left-back
Team information
Current team
Shanghai Port
Number32
Youth career
2007–2014Changchun Yatai
2014–2015Mafra
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2021Dalian Professional100(2)
2022–Shanghai Port25(0)
International career
2016–2018China U-2320(0)
2019–China2(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 November 2023

Club career

Li Shuai would play for the Changchun Yatai youth team before continuing with his development with Portuguese club Mafra.[1] On 5 January 2016 he would return back to China to join China League One side Dalian Yifang (now known as Dalian Professional).[2] He made his senior debut on 12 March 2016 in a 2–0 home win over Zhejiang Yiteng.[3] On 9 April 2017, he scored his first senior goal in a 2–1 home win against Qingdao Huanghai.[4] He would go on to establish himself as a regular within the team and played in 16 league matches for the club as Dalian Yifang won the 2017 China League One division title and promotion to the first tier at the end of the season.[5]

Li would be linked with fellow top tier clubs Jiangsu Suning, Tianjin Quanjian and Guangzhou Evergrande in the 2018 winter transfer window. However, his former club Changchun Yatai submitted a claim to the Chinese Football Association for his ownership in January 2018 and held back any further transfers.[1] He stayed at Dalian Yifang and made his Chinese Super League debut on 3 March 2018 in an 8–0 crushing defeat against Shanghai SIPG, coming on for Wang Jinxian in the 66th minute.[6] Despite the defeat he would still remain a vital member of the team and go on to score his first first-tier league goal on 14 September 2018 in a 1–0 win over Tianjin Quanjian to secure Dalian's first away victory of the season.[7]

Li's contract with Dalian would come to an end and fellow top tier club Shanghai Port would sign him on a free transfer on 28 July 2022.[8] He would make his debut in a league game on 1 September 2022 against Cangzhou Mighty Lions in a 0-0 draw.[9]

International career

Li was called up to the China national team by Marcello Lippi on 8 September 2019,[10] but did not have his first appearance until the 10 October 2019 match against Guam.

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of 31 January 2023.[11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dalian Yifang /
Dalian Professional
2016China League One17020--190
201716110--171
2018Chinese Super League18130--211
201921020--230
202011010--120
202117000-2[a]0190
Total10029000201112
Shanghai Port2022Chinese Super League7030--100
Career total107212000201212

International statistics

National team
YearAppsGoals
201910
202310
Total20

Honours

Dalian Professional

Shanghai Port

References