Guangzhou F.C.

Guangzhou Football Club is a professional Chinese football club that participates in the Chinese Super League under the license of the Chinese Football Association. The team is based in Guangzhou, Guangdong, and their home stadium is the Tianhe Stadium which has a seating capacity of 54,856. Their majority shareholders are the Evergrande Real Estate Group (56.71%) and the e-commerce company Alibaba Group (37.81%),[4][5][6][7] while the rest of the shares are traded in the Chinese OTC system.

Guangzhou FC

Full name	Guangzhou Football Club
Nickname(s)	South China Tigers (华南虎)[1]
Founded	June 1954 (as Guangzhou Football Team) 1993 (Professional)[2]
Ground	Tianhe Stadium
Capacity	54,856
Owner	Evergrande Group (56.71%) Alibaba Group (37.81%) Other shareholders (NEEQ: 834338) (5.48%)
Chairman	Zheng Zhi[3]
Manager	Fabio Cannavaro
League	Chinese Super League
2020	CSL, 2nd of 16
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours

Guangzhou F.C.
Simplified Chinese	广州恒大淘宝足球俱乐部
Traditional Chinese	廣州恆大淘寶足球俱樂部
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guǎngzhōu Héngdà Táobǎo Zúqiú Jùlèbù Wade–Giles Kuangchou Hengta T'aopao Tsuch'iu Chülepu IPA [kwàŋ ʈʂóu xə̌ŋ tâ tʰǎu pàu tsǔ tɕʰjǒu tɕŷ lɤ̂ pû] Yue: Cantonese Jyutping gwong zau hang daai tou bou zuk kau keoi lok bou IPA [kʷɔ̌ːŋ tsɐ́u hɐ̏ŋ tāːi tʰȍu pǒu tsók̚ kʰɐ̏u kʰɵ́y lɔ̄ːk̚ pòu]
Guangzhou Evergrande
Simplified Chinese	广州恒大
Traditional Chinese	廣州恆大
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guǎngzhōu Héngdà Wade–Giles Kuangchou Hengta IPA [kwàŋ ʈʂóu xə̌ŋ tâ] Yue: Cantonese Jyutping gwong zau hang daai IPA [kʷɔ̌ːŋ tsɐ́u hɐ̏ŋ tāːi]
Southern China Tigers
Simplified Chinese	华南虎
Traditional Chinese	華南虎
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Huánánhǔ Wade–Giles Hua^2nan^2hu^3 IPA [xwǎ nǎn xù] Yue: Cantonese Jyutping waa naam fu IPA [wȁː nȁːm fǔː]

The club was founded in 1954, and won several second tier titles before turning professional in 1993. Their results improved, leading to a runners-up spot in China's top tier. Unable to improve upon these results, the club went through a period of stagnation and decline before they experienced a brief revival, when they won the 2007 second division. In 2009, the club was embroiled in a match-fixing scandal and they were punished with relegation. The Evergrande Real Estate Group decided to purchase the club and pumped significant funds into the team. They immediately won promotion and gained their first top tier title in the 2011 season. The club is the only Chinese football club to win the AFC Champions League twice, in 2013 and 2015. The club is also the first Chinese club to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, making its first appearance in 2013.

According to Forbes report from 2016, Guangzhou Evergrande was valued at US$282 million, the most out of all Chinese football teams, with a reported operating loss of over US$200 million in 2015.[8]

History

In June 1954, the local Guangzhou sports body founded Guangzhou Football Team to take part in the newly formed Chinese national football league.[2] They entered the club in the 1955 league season and named Luo Dizhi as their first manager. He guided them to an eighth spot finish in their debut campaign.[9] The league had grown to incorporate a second tier and their debut season performance final standing relegated them to the second division. Guangzhou won the division championship, however the Chinese Football Association decided to restructure the league at the beginning of the 1957 season and Guangzhou were denied promotion.[10] Despite this, Luo Rongman managed the team to win the 1958 second division title; however, the club were unable to gain promotion because this time they went into receivership. They were not re-established until April 1961 and were allowed to take part in the top tier. Back within the top division Guangzhou often struggled within the league and were again relegated to the second tier at the end of the 1963 league season. They remained there until 1966 when the Cultural Revolution halted football in China.[11]

When the Chinese football league restarted, Guangzhou took the unusual step of abstaining from the competition and instead on 26 October 1977 brought Luo Rongman to manage their youth team.[12] The team played within the National Youth League until 1980 when it was decided that they were mature enough to play in the senior football league pyramid. They started in the recently established third division. The club's youth team development immediately paid off and players such as Mai Chao, Zhao Dayu and later Wu Qunli all rapidly rose into Chinese international footballers. Guangzhou gained successive promotions until they reached the top tier. At the end of the 1982 league season Guangzhou were relegated again. They returned to the top division at the end of the 1984 season via the Chinese FA Cup. With this promotion on 1 October 1984, the club was the first Chinese team to gain sponsorship when Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. signed a $200,000 annual deal with the club.[13]

Throughout the 1990s, the Chinese Football Association were demanding more professionalism from their football teams. Guangzhou was one of the first fully professional football clubs in China after the Apollo Group took over the club on 8 January 1993. The investment aided the manager Zhou Sui'an to help create a competitive squad. Hu Zhijun won the top goalscoring award. Guangzhou were able to gain a runners-up spot in the 1994 league season.[14] The following season Zhou Sui'an left the team after having twice guided the club to a runners-up position within the league and a runners-up spot against Shanghai in the 1991 Chinese FA Cup. After his exit, the club were unable to replicate the same results. When influential international footballers Peng Weiguo and Hu Zhijun left the club, the team went into free fall and were relegated at the end of the 1998 league season.[15] With the management concerned about the team's performance, an investigation was launched which discovered that Wen Junwu and three other players were in collusion with gambling groups and were immediately expelled from the club.[16] In 2001, the Guangzhou Sports Bureau took over the club again. With significant investment coming from the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd it was hoped that the club could push for promotion. The division was rocked by a match-fixing scandal involving Changchun Yatai, Chengdu Wuniu, Jiangsu Sainty and Zhejing Greentown. Guangzhou's new sponsors Geely immediately pulled their funding from the team to distance themselves from the bad publicity.[17] The club went through a tough transitional period until the Sunray Cave Group took over the club in 2004 and started to invest money in hopes of pushing for promotion.[18] When the Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals group took over the club in 2006, they were able to realize the ambition of gaining promotion. The club won the 2007 second division title and entry to the Chinese Super League.[19] In February 2010, Guangzhou was relegated back to the China League One in the fallout of a match-fixing scandal despite having achieved a ninth-place finish in the 2009 season.[20] The match in question was the 19 August 2006 league game against Shanxi Luhu, which Guangzhou won 5–1 when they were still playing in the China League One. It was discovered by the police that the Guangzhou general manager Yang Xu paid ¥200,000 to the opposing general manager Wang Po to secure a win at home and that Guangzhou's vice presidents Wu Xiaodong and Xie Bin knew about it.[21] With the offending participants sentenced to jail for fraud, the club was put up for sale.[22] On 28 February 2010, Evergrande Real Estate Group took over the club for a fee of ¥100 million. Xu Jiayin, chairman of Evergrande Real Estate Group, said that they would pump more funds into the transfer market.[23] His first act was to sign in Chinese national team striker Gao Lin from Shanghai Shenhua for a reported fee of ¥6 million. Then, he replaced the head coach Peng Weiguo with former Beijing Guoan manager Lee Jang-soo with no indication. In the 2010 summer transfer window, the club signed Sun Xiang, the first Chinese footballer to play in the UEFA Champions League with PSV Eindhoven, and the Chinese national team captain Zheng Zhi on 28 June 2010. On 30 June 2010, Guangzhou confirmed that they had signed Muriqui on a four-year deal from Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side Atlético Mineiro with a domestic record fee of ¥23 million.[24] On 30 October 2010, Guangzhou became League One champions for the second time and returned to the Super League after a 3–1 win against Hunan Billows.[25]

During the 2011 season, Guangzhou Evergrande further strengthened its squad with the purchase of Argentinean Dario Conca and Brazilian Cléo.[26] Although the team was promoted to the Super League in the first year, they clinched the league title in late September 2011 although there were four games yet to play.[27] In March 2012, Guangzhou played and won their first-ever AFC Champions League match, defeating South Korean champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 5–1.[28] In addition, Paraguayan Lucas Barrios left the German champions Borussia Dortmund in summer 2012 to join Guangzhou Evergrande.[29] Marcello Lippi replaced Lee Jang-soo as the head coach and brought in South Korean defender Kim Young-gwon and Chinese midfielder Huang Bowen.[30] Guangzhou was knocked out of the 2012 AFC Champions League when they lost 5–4 on aggregate to Al-Ittihad in the quarter-finals.[31] They became the first Chinese side to reach the quarter-finals since 2006. During the 2012 season, Guangzhou won the league for the second time in a row, becoming the first team in China to win the Super League title twice in a row, while also securing the Chinese FA Cup to become double winners for 2012.[32]

In the 2013 season, Guangzhou Evergrande strengthened their squad by signing Chinese goalkeeper Zeng Cheng and Brazilian Elkeson.[33][34] This proved to be beneficial to Guangzhou as they became the first team in China to win the Super League three times in a row.[35] The club also won the 2013 AFC Champions League by defeating FC Seoul in the final on the away goals rule, after drawing 2–2 in the first leg in Seoul and 1–1 in the second leg in Guangzhou, becoming the first Chinese side to win the tournament since 1990.[36] By winning the AFC Champions League, Guangzhou was assured a place in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, entering in the quarter-finals, beating the African champions Al-Ahly 2–0.[37] In the semi-finals, they were defeated by the European champions Bayern Munich 3–0.[38] In the third place match, the club lost against the South American champions Atlético Mineiro 3–2 and finished in fourth place.[39] Guangzhou won its fourth and fifth consecutive Chinese Super League titles in 2014 and 2015, respectively.[40] On 21 November 2015, the club won its second continental championship, defeating Al-Ahli 1–0 on aggregate in the 2015 AFC Champions League Final.[41] In the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup, Guangzhou won 2–1 against Club América in the quarter-finals before losing 3–0 against Barcelona in the semi-finals.[42][43] Guangzhou also lost the third place match 2–1 against Hiroshima Sanfrecce, ending up in the same position as in the 2013 edition.[44]

In the 2019 season, Guangzhou Evergrande won their eight Super League title with Beijing Guoan finishing in second place.[45]

Ownership and naming history

Year	Owner	Club name	Sponsored team name
1954–55	Central and Southern China Institute of Sports	Central and Southern China Sports Institute Football Team	Central and Southern China White
1955			Guangzhou
1956			Central and Southern China White
1956–57	Guangzhou Institute of Sports	Guangzhou Institute of Sports Football Team
1958		Guangzhou Football Team
1959–61	Guangzhou Public Security Bureau	Guangzhou Vanguard Football Team
1962–66	Guangzhou Sports Bureau	Guangzhou Football Team
1977–79		Guangzhou Youth Football Team
1980–84		Guangzhou Football Team
1985–89			Guangzhou Baiyun
1989–93		Guangzhou Football Club
1993–00	Guangdong Apollo Group	Guangzhou Apollo Football Club
2001–02	Guangzhou Sports Bureau	Guangzhou Football Club	Guangzhou Geely
2002–03			Guangzhou Xiangxue
2004–05	Sunray Cave Group		Guangzhou Sunray Cave
2005–07	Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings	Guangzhou GPC Football Club
2008			Guangzhou GPC Zhongyi
2009			Guangzhou GPC Baiyunshan
2010	Guangzhou Sports Bureau	Guangzhou Football Club
2010	Evergrande Real Estate Group	Guangzhou Evergrande Football Club	Guangzhou GAC
2011–2014
2014–2015	Evergrande Real Estate Group (50%→60%) Alibaba Group (50%→40%)	Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club
2016–2020	Evergrande Real Estate Group (56.71%) Alibaba Group (37.81%) Other shareholders in NEEQ (5.48%)
2021–		Guangzhou Football Club

Sponsorship

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
1994	Umbro	—
1995	Reebok	三菱汽车 (Mitsubishi Motors)
1996	Diadora
1997	Reebok
1998	Ucan	三菱戈蓝 (Mitsubishi Galant)
1999		太阳神 (Apollo)
2000		广东全球通 (Guangdong GoTone)
2001		吉利汽车 (Geely Motors)
2002–2003		香雪制药 (Xiangxue Pharmaceutical)
2004		中一药业 (Zhongyi Pharmaceutical)
2005		天河城 (Teem Plaza)
2006–2007	Godedke	广药 (Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals)
2008–2009	Nike	广药中一 (Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals Zhongyi)
2010–2013		恒大 (Evergrande)
2014–2015		东风日产启辰 (Dongfeng–Nissan Venucia)
2016–2017		恒大金服 (Evergrande financial service)
2017		恒大旅游集团 (Evergrande travel group)
2018		恒大文化旅游城 (Evergrande cultural tourism city)
2019		恒大 (Evergrande)
2020		恒驰 (Hengchi)

Rivalries

When professionalism was established within the Chinese football leagues in 1994, it allowed more than one team to play within each region. This saw the establishment of Guangzhou Matsunichi which used to be the youth academy of Guangzhou FC before being sold to Matsunichi Digital Holdings Limited.[46] Direct ties between these two teams also saw them share the Yuexiushan Stadium. In their first meeting in the first round of the 1995 Chinese FA Cup, Matsunichi beat Guangzhou FC 4–3 on aggregate.[47] For a brief period during the 1998 season, both teams were in the top tier with Matsunichi finishing higher than Guangzhou FC; however, the rivalry would reach its peak and subsequent conclusion during the 2000 season with both clubs in the second tier fighting relegation. On 15 July 2000, Guangzhou FC won 3–1 against Matsunichi which inevitability helped lead to Matsunichi's relegation, causing Matsunichi to disband at the end of the season.[48][49]

When Guangzhou R&F moved to the city of Guangzhou, a local derby, often referred to as the Canton derby, was born.[50] The first Canton derby was at Yuexiushan Stadium on 16 March 2012 as Guangzhou Evergrande lost 2–0 against Guangzhou R&F.[51] Relations between the two club owners remain cordial off the pitch and club owners Xu Jiayin and Zhang Li were seen enjoying a meal together instead of watching the second derby in 2012, which Guangzhou R&F also won.[52][53]

Current squad

As of 24 February 2020[54][55]

First team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  CHN Liu Shibo 2 DF  CHN Jiang Guangtai 3 DF  CHN Mei Fang 5 DF  CHN Zhang Linpeng 6 MF  CHN Liao Lisheng 7 FW  CHN Wei Shihao 8 MF  BRA Paulinho^FP (3rd captain) 9 FW  CHN Elkeson 10 MF  CHN Zheng Zhi (captain) 11 MF  CHN Zhang Xiuwei 12 MF  CHN Xu Xin 13 GK  CHN Liu Weiguo 14 MF  CHN Tan Kaiyuan 15 MF  CHN Yan Dinghao 16 MF  CHN Huang Bowen

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 FW  CHN Yang Liyu 19 FW  BRA Fernando Henrique^LP 20 FW  BRA Aloísio ^LP 21 DF  CHN Gao Zhunyi 22 FW  CHN Parmanjan Kyum 23 DF  KOR Park Ji-soo^FP 24 DF  CHN Wang Shilong 25 DF  CHN Deng Hanwen 26 MF  BRA Anderson Talisca^FP 27 DF  CHN Wu Shaocong 32 GK  CHN Liu Dianzuo 33 MF  CHN Zhong Yihao 35 DF  CHN Li Xuepeng 36 MF  CHN He Chao 38 DF  CHN Liu Yiming

Remarks:
^LP These players are registered as local players in Chinese domestic football competitions.
^FP These players are registered as foreign players in Chinese domestic football competitions.

Reserve squad

As of 10 July 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 43 MF  CHN Huang Guangliang 44 GK  CHN Zhang Jianzhi 46 MF  CHN Zheng Shengxiong 47 MF  CHN Wu Yuxiang 52 MF  CHN Zhao Shizhuo 53 MF  CHN Zhu Fu 54 DF  CHN Chen Hongwei

No. Pos. Nation Player 55 FW  CHN Rao Weiquan 56 MF  CHN Li Geng 57 MF  CHN Xie Zifeng 59 FW  CHN Elfirat Iminjan 60 FW  CHN Bughrahan Skandar 61 DF  CHN Zhou Chenye 62 MF  CHN Zhang Junye

Unregistered players

As of 1 March 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  CHN Hu Ruibao — MF  CHN Cai Mingmin — DF  CHN Luo Hanbowen — GK  CHN Li Weijie — DF  CHN Chen Zepeng — DF  CHN Guan Haojin — DF  CHN Liu Ruicheng — DF  CHN Situ Hualong — DF  CHN Wen Haojun — DF  CHN Wu Yuduo

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  CHN Zhang Zichao — DF  CHN Zhou Wenxin — DF  CHN Liu Haidong — MF  CHN Ju Feng — MF  CHN Yang Xin — MF  CHN Ke Yuan — MF  CHN Shewket Yalqun — MF  CHN Wang Junhui — MF  CHN Wu Yue — FW  CHN Ye Guochen

On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  BRA Alan (at Beijing Guoan until 31 December 2020) — MF  BRA Ricardo Goulart (at Hebei China Fortune until 31 December 2020) — DF  CHN Guo Jing (at Henan Jianye until 31 December 2020) — MF  CHN Feng Boxuan (at Henan Jianye until 31 December 2020) — GK  CHN Zeng Cheng (at Shanghai Greenland Shenhua until 31 December 2020) — DF  CHN Feng Xiaoting (at Shanghai Greenland Shenhua until 31 December 2020) — FW  CHN Wang Jinze (at Shijiazhuang Ever Bright until 31 December 2020) — DF  CHN Rong Hao (at Tianjin TEDA until 31 December 2020) — DF  CHN Zhang Chenglin (at Wuhan Zall until 31 December 2020) — DF  CHN Anizirjan Askar (at Beijing BSU until 31 December 2020) — FW  CHN Li Ming (at Beijing BSU until 31 December 2020) — MF  CHN Tang Shi (at Beijing BSU until 31 December 2020) — FW  CHN Zhang Wenzhao (at Beijing Renhe until 31 December 2020)

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  CHN Chen Quanjiang (at Inner Mongolia Zhongyou until 31 December 2020) — DF  CHN Wang Wenxuan (at Inner Mongolia Zhongyou until 31 December 2020) — MF  CHN Fan Hengbo (at Inner Mongolia Zhongyou until 31 December 2020) — GK  CHN Mai Gaoling (at Inner Mongolia Zhongyou until 31 December 2020) — MF  CHN Ma Yilun (at Inner Mongolia Zhongyou until 31 December 2020) — MF  CHN Zhang Zheng (at Inner Mongolia Zhongyou until 31 December 2020) — FW  CHN Seydar Siyitjan (at Inner Mongolia Zhongyou until 31 December 2020) — MF  CHN Xiao Taotao (at Kunshan F.C. until 31 December 2020) — FW  CHN Wang Jingbin (at Liaoning Shenyang Urban until 31 December 2020) — MF  CHN Zheng Shengxiong (at Sichuan Jiuniu until 31 December 2020) — GK  CHN Zhang Yulei (at Qingdao Zhongchuang Hengtai until 31 December 2020) — FW  CHN Eysajan Kurban (at Qingdao Zhongchuang Hengtai until 31 December 2020) — DF  CHN Ma Sheng (at Qingdao Zhongchuang Hengtai until 31 December 2020)

Club officials

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Fabio Cannavaro
Assistant coaches	Paolo Cannavaro
	Antonio Rogazzo
	Ciccio Troise
Goalkeeping coach	Patrizio Franco Cotugno
Fitness coach	Giam Piero Ventrone
Medical adviser	Enrico Castellacci
Team doctor / Physiotherapist	Silvano Cotti
Scout	Vincenzo Bevo
Reserve team head coach	Chang Weiwei
Reserve team assistant coach	Li Kun
	Liu Zhiyu
Reserve team goalkeeping coach	Wang Weiman
Reserve team Physiotherapist	Wan Bingfeng
Youth department director / U-19 team coach	Stefan Böger

Managerial history

Club honours

All-time honours list, including those achieved during the club's semi-professional period.[56][57]

Leagues

• Chinese Jia-A League (top division until 2003)

Runners-up (2): 1992, 1994

• Chinese Super League (top division since 2004)

Winners (8): 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019

Runners-up (2): 2018, 2020

• Chinese Second Division / Jia-B League (second division until 2003)

Winners (3): 1956, 1958, 1981

Runners-up (2): 1983, 1990

• China League One (second division since 2004)

Winners (2): 2007, 2010

• Chinese Third Division

Runners-up (1): 1980

Cups

• Chinese FA Cup

Winners (2): 2012, 2016

Runners-up (2): 1991, 2013

• Chinese FA Super Cup

Winners (4): 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018

Runners-up (3): 2013, 2014, 2015

International

• AFC Champions League

Winners (2): 2013, 2015

• FIFA Club World Cup

Fourth place (2): 2013, 2015[58]

Results

All-time league rankings

[59][60]

Year	Div	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Pos.	FA Cup	Super Cup	League Cup	AFC	Other
1955	1	10	3	1	6	12	33	−21	7	8	—	—	—	—
1956	2	5	4	1	0	13	1	+12	14	1^2	DNQ	—	—	—
1957	2									5	NH	—	—	—
1958	2	5	4	1	0	13	5	+8	14^3	1	NH	—	—	—
1961	1										NH	—	—	—
1962	1										NH	—	—	—
1963	1								3^3	20	NH	—	—	—
1964	2									7^3	NH	—	—	—
1965	2									6^3	NH	—	—	—
1980	3	8	3	4	1	13	4	+9	10	2^3	NH	—	—	—
1981	2	30	24	—	6				48	1	NH	—	—	—
1982	1	30	9	—	21	23	53	−30	18	15	NH	—	—	—
1983	2	15	11	—	4				22	2^2	NH	—	—	—
1984	2									3^1	8th	—	—	—
1985	1	15	8	—	7			+6	17	7	4th	—	—	DNQ
1986	1	14	6	4	4	14	13	+1	16	7	DNE	—	—	DNQ
1987	1	14	5	1	8	14	19	−5	16	7	NH	—	—	DNQ
1988	1	25	10	10	5	32	19	+13	43	7	NH	—	—	DNQ
1989	1	14	1	5	8	8	22	−14	10	8	NH	—	—	DNQ
1990	2	22	8	11	3	27	15	+13	35	2	R1	—	—	DNQ
1991	1	14	4	7	3	16	13	+3	16	4	RU	—	—	DNQ
1992	1	14	8	2	4	19	15	+4	18	2	R1	—	—	DNQ
1993	1	6^3	2	0/3^4	1	8	7	+1	4^3	8	NH	—	—	DNQ
1994	1	22	11	5	6	36	27	+9	27	2	NH	—	—	DNQ
1995	1	22	7	7	8	28	27	+1	28	5	R1	DNQ	—	DNQ
1996	1	22	7	8	7	26	25	+1	29	7	R16	DNQ	—	DNQ
1997	1	22	5	10	7	14	20	−6	25	8	R16	DNQ	—	DNQ
1998	1	26	4	8	14	25	41	−16	20	14	R1	DNQ	—	DNQ
1999	2	22	6	8	8	26	30	−4	26	8	R2	DNQ	—	DNQ
2000	2	22	6	7	9	27	27	0	25	10	R1	DNQ	—	DNQ
2001	2	22	11	7	4	31	16	+15	40	4	R1	DNQ	—	DNQ
2002	2	22	4	9	9	23	30	−7	21	11	R1	DNQ	—	DNQ
2003	2	26	13	9	4	40	20	+20	48	3	R1	DNQ	—	DNQ
2004	2	32	12	16	4	47	29	+18	52	4	R1	NH	DNQ	DNQ
2005	2	26	15	7	4	50	22	+28	52	4	R2	NH	DNQ	DNQ
2006	2	24	15	3	6	45	25	+20	48	3	R2	NH	NH	DNQ
2007	2	24	19	4	1	65	15	+50	61	1	NH	NH	NH	DNQ
2008	1	30	10	10	10	41	42	−1	40	7	NH	NH	NH	DNQ
2009	1	30	9	10	11	38	38	0	37	9^5	NH	NH	NH	DNQ
2010	2	24	17	6	1	61	21	+40	57	1	NH	NH	NH	DNQ
2011	1	30	20	8	2	67	23	+44	68	1	R2	NH	NH	DNQ
2012	1	30	17	7	6	51	30	+21	58	1	W	W	NH	QF
2013	1	30	24	5	1	78	18	+60	77	1	RU	RU	NH	W	CWC	4th
2014	1	30	22	4	4	76	28	+48	70	1	R4	RU	NH	QF
2015	1	30	19	10	1	71	28	+43	67	1	R3	RU	NH	W	CWC	4th
2016	1	30	19	7	4	62	19	+43	64	1	W	W	NH	Group
2017	1	30	20	4	6	69	42	+27	64	1	SF	W	NH	QF
2018	1	30	20	3	7	82	36	+46	63	2	R5	W	NH	R16
2019	1	30	23	3	4	68	24	+44	72	1	QF	DNQ	NH	SF
2020	1	14	11	1	2	31	12	+19	34	2^6	R2	Cancelled^7	NH	Group
2021	1											DNQ	NH	TBD

Notes

No league games in 1959, 1966–1972, 1975, and 1976; Guangzhou did not enter the league in 1960, 1973, 1974, and 1977.
^1 In group stage. ^2 No promotion. ^3 In final group stage. ^4 Drawn matches were decided on penalties after 90 minutes. ^5 Relegated for match-fixing scandal.
^6 Lost in championship finals; in the regular season, Guangzhou finished first in Group A. ^7 Not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key

China top division   China second division   China third division W   Winners RU   Runners-up   Relegated

Div = Division Pld = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos. = Final position

DNQ = Did not qualify DNE = Did not enter NH = Not held  – = Did not exist R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3

SF = Semi-finals QF = Quarter-finals R16 = Round of 16 Group = Group stage

International results

Records and statistics

Past and present internationals

Names in bold indicate players who had international appearances for their countries while playing for Guangzhou.[61]

Angola Quinzinho (2003–04) Australia Brad Maloney (1995) Belarus Mikalay Ryndzyuk (2005) Brazil Paulinho (2015–17, 2018–present) Ricardo Goulart (2015–present) Robinho (2015) Cameroon Bertin Tomou (2001) Canada Charles Gbeke (2010) China PR Bai Lei (2008–09) Deng Hanwen (2018–present) Dong Xuesheng (2014–15) Feng Renliang (2013–14) Feng Xiaoting (2011–present) Gao Lin (2010–present) Gao Zhunyi (2019–present) He Chao (2019–present) Hu Zhaojun (2009–10) Hu Zhijun (1990–97) Huang Bowen (2012–present) Huang Hongtao (1990–96, 1999–00) Huang Qineng (1991–98) Jiang Ning (2011–12) Kong Guoxian (1986–93, 1998) Li Jianhua (2009–12) Li Wei (2005–06) Li Xuepeng (2014–present) Li Yong (1988–95) Liao Lisheng (2013–present)

Liu Jian (2014–2017) Liu Yiming (2019–present) Mai Chao (1981–95) Mei Fang (2014–present) Peng Weiguo (1990–97) Peng Xinli (2012–16) Qin Sheng (2012–14) Rong Hao (2012–present) Rong Zhixing (1966–69) Su Yongshun (1950s) Sun Xiang (2010–14) Wang Jingbin (2015–present) Wei Shihao (2019–present) Wu Pingfeng (2008–12) Wu Qunli (1983–85, 1990–93) Xu Liang (2007–09) Yang Hao (2011) Yang Jun (2011–13) Yang Liyu (2018–present) Ye Weichao (2011–14) Yu Hanchao (2014–present) Zeng Cheng (2013–present) Zhang Chenglin (2017–present) Zhang Jiaqi (2015–present) Zhang Linpeng (2011–present) Zhang Wenzhao (2016–present) Zhang Xiuwei (2019–present) Zhao Dayu (1978–86) Zhao Peng (2013–14) Zhao Xuri (2012–15) Zheng Long (2013–present) Zheng Zhi (2010–present) Zou Zheng (2015–18) Colombia Jackson Martínez (2016–present) DR Congo Patrick Katalay (2000–01)

Honduras Luis Ramírez (2001, 2007–09) Hong Kong Ng Wai Chiu (2002–03) Wei Zhao (2003–06) Italy Alessandro Diamanti (2014) Alberto Gilardino (2014) Korea Republic Cho Won-hee (2011–12) Kim Hyung-il (2017) Kim Young-gwon (2012–18) Park Ji-ho (1998) Park Ji-soo (2019–present) Nigeria Dominic Iorfa (1997) Paraguay Lucas Barrios (2012–13) Casiano Delvalle (2007) Peru Ismael Alvarado (2008–09) Romania Corneliu Papură (2006) Claudiu Răducanu (2006) Constantin Schumacher (2006) Serbia Nemanja Gudelj (2018–present) Trinidad and Tobago Arnold Dwarika (2004) Gary Glasgow (2003–04) Uruguay Alejandro Javier Larrea (2001)

Notes and references

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External links

• Official website (in Chinese)
• Supporters' website (in Chinese)
• Stats on Sina (in Chinese)