Tianjin Teda F.C.
Ma Leilei joined top tier side Tianjin Teda F.C. in July 2008 and would make his debut for the club on September 21, 2008 in a league game against Shanghai Shenhua in a 1–1 draw where he came on as a substitute. After that game Ma would start to become a regular within the side and would go on to score his first two senior level goals in a 2009 AFC Champions League game on May 5, 2009 against Kawasaki Frontale in a 3–1 victory. After that game he was soon touted as the successor of club legend and former Chinese international Yu Genwei.