Fan Zhiyi

Fan Zhiyi
范志毅
Personal information
Date of birth (1969-11-06) 6 November 1969
Place of birth Shanghai, China
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Defender
Youth career
1987 Shanghai Shenhua
1988–1989 China B
1990–1992 China Olympic Development Team
1992–1993 Shanghai Shenhua
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1998 Shanghai Shenhua 99 (31)
1998–2001 Crystal Palace 88 (4)
2001–2002 Dundee 14 (2)
2002 Shanghai COSCO Huili 12 (4)
2002–2003 Cardiff City 6 (0)
2003–2004 Buler Rangers 9 (1)
2004–2005 Shanghai Zobon 30 (6)
2005–2006 Hong Kong Rangers 5 (0)
Total 263 (48)
International career
1992–2002 China 106 (17)
Managerial career
2003–2004 Buler Rangers (assistant)
2004–2005 Shanghai Zobon (assistant)
2005–2006 Buler Rangers (assistant)
2006–2007 Suzhou Trips (assistant)
2008–2009 Shanghai East Asia (assistant)
2010 Shanghai East Asia
2016–2018 Shanghai Shenhua reserve
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  China
AFC Asian Cup
1992 Japan Team
Asian Games
1994 Hiroshima Football
1998 Bangkok Football
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Fan Zhiyi (Chinese: 范志毅; pinyin: Fàn Zhìyì; born 6 November 1969) is a Chinese football coach and former player. He played as a defender for Shanghai Shenhua, Crystal Palace, Dundee, Shanghai COSCO Huili, Cardiff City, Buler Rangers and Shanghai Zobon.

He was considered a trailblazer in his native homeland when Sun Jihai and he became the first two Chinese footballers to play in the English leagues, joining Crystal Palace in 1998. Internationally, he would go on to play with the China national team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He made 106 appearances for China, scoring 17 goals. Fan was also the first player from China to be named AFC Player of the Year. He has since gone on to become a football coach and had his first stint as manager at Shanghai East Asia.