# Ji Xiang (footballer)

Ji Xiang (Chinese: 吉翔; pinyin: Jí Xiáng; born 1 March 1990) is a Chinese professional footballer who currently plays as a right winger or right-back for Shandong Taishan.

## Club career

Ji Xiang started his professional football career with Jiangsu Suning in the 2008 season when he was promoted to their senior team. He would go on to make his debut on October 18, 2008 in a league game against Qingdao Hailifeng F.C. in a 2-0 victory where he came on as a substitute. At the end of the league season Ji Xiang would go on to be part of the squad that won the division title and promotion to the top tier of Chinese football. In the top tier the Jiangsu manager, Pei Encai was initially reluctant to use Ji Xiang, however by the 2010 league season he showed more faith in him, which saw Ji Xiang repay him by scoring his first goal for the club on August 22, 2010 against Qingdao Jonoon F.C. in a 4-0 victory.
By the following season he would establish himself as a regular within the team despite Pei Encai leaving and in the 2012 season, Ji broke the record for the fastest goal in Chinese Super League history, scoring a goal timed at 7 seconds in a 1-1 draw against Guangzhou Evergrande on 20 October 2012. Now an establish integral part of the team he would go on to win the 2015 Chinese FA Cup against Shanghai Shenhua. This would be followed by the 2020 Chinese Super League title when he would win the clubs first league title with them. On 28 February 2021, the parent company of the club Suning Holdings Group announced that operations were going to cease immediately due to financial difficulties.
On 23 March 2021 he would join top tier club Shandong Taishan on a free transfer. He made his debut for the club on 20 April 2021 in a league game against Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic that ended in a 2-0 victory. He would immediately establish himself as an integral member of the team that went on to the win the 2021 Chinese Super League title and 2021 Chinese FA Cup. This would be followed up by him winning the 2022 Chinese FA Cup with them the next season.

## International career

Ji made his debut for the Chinese national team on 13 December 2014 in a 4-0 win against Kyrgyzstan. However, this match was not recognised as an international "A" match by FIFA. He finally made his official debut on 21 December 2014 in a 0-0 draw against Palestine.

## Career statistics
### Club statistics

    As of 31 January 2023.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2008 | China League One | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2009 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2010 | Chinese Super League | 13 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 13 | 4 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2011 | Chinese Super League | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 24 | 2 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2012 | Chinese Super League | 30 | 6 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 31 | 7 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2013 | Chinese Super League | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2014 | Chinese Super League | 23 | 1 | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 28 | 2 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2015 | Chinese Super League | 29 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 35 | 0 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 28 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 8 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2017 | Chinese Super League | 26 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 4 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2018 | Chinese Super League | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 26 | 3 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2019 | Chinese Super League | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 22 | 0 |
| Jiangsu Suning | 2020 | Chinese Super League | 18 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 23 | 0 |
| Jiangsu Suning | Total | Total | 255 | 23 | 35 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 308 | 31 |
| Shandong Taishan | 2021 | Chinese Super League | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 0 |
| Shandong Taishan | 2022 | Chinese Super League | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 |
| Shandong Taishan | Total | Total | 39 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 294 | 23 | 44 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 356 | 31 |
* 1 2 3 Appearances in Chinese FA Super Cup

### International statistics

National team :
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 11 | 1 |

### International goals

    As of 18 December 2019
    Scores and results list China's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 18 December 2019 | Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South Korea | Hong Kong | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |

## Honours
### Club

Jiangsu Suning
* Chinese Super League: 2020
* China League One: 2008
* Chinese FA Super Cup: 2013
* Chinese FA Cup: 2015
Shandong Taishan
* Chinese Super League: 2021
* Chinese FA Cup: 2021, 2022