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AFC Asian Cup
The 29-year-old has been a mainstay of the side throughout the last decade, during which time he spent a prolonged period in Europe before returning to the Chinese Super League to excel for Beijing FC.
Factfile:
Age: 29
Caps: 48
Goals: 9
Club: Beijing FC (China PR)
Age: 29
Caps: 48
Goals: 9
Club: Beijing FC (China PR)
Zhang’s association with the game goes back to his early childhood years when, as a five-year-old, he was taken by his father to watch China PR play in their debut - and so far only - FIFA World Cup appearance in Korea Republic in 2002.
His own talents were soon nurtured through Hangzhou Greentown’s academy before a move to the Netherlands in 2015, where he joined Vitesse as an 18-year-old and would go on to feature in the side that won the KNVB Cup in the 2016/17 season.
Zhang’s international debut, meanwhile, came in 2016 against Trinidad and Tobago, with the centre-forward making a dream introduction to the squad by scoring twice and also providing an assist in a 4-2 win.
Any suggestions that Zhang could be prolific for the national team proved unfounded, however, with the striker an irregular scorer for China PR in the years since. His physicality and presence in central attacking areas, though, have been consistently important.
Trivia
The AFC Asian Cup 2027 will be China PR’s 14th participation, the third most behind IR Iran and Korea Republic.
Zhang made a promising start to his club career with Vitesse, prompting a move to West Bromwich Albion when the outfit were in the English Premier League, although he was almost immediately send on loan to Werder Bremen in Germany.
After a year with the Bundesliga club he returned to the Netherlands, again on loan, to play for ADO Den Haag before moving on a permanent deal in 2019 to Chinese Super League giants Beijing FC.
On home soil Zhang has prospered, finishing as the league’s leading scorer in 2022 with his scoring form also seeing him crowned the country’s leading player that season. In 2025 he won the Chinese FA Cup.
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The 29-year-old – Zhang will turn 30 two days before the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 kicks off on January 7 – has assumed the role of experienced leader for a Chinese side that has started to show renewed promise in recent months.
He was one of three overage players called into the squad that represented the country at the Asian Games in Japan in September and October, helping China PR to bronze, the nation’s first medal in the competition since 1998.
