Chen Zhexuan
|
Chen Zhexuan in May 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Chen Zhexuan | ||
| Date of birth | 24 September 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Changsha, Hunan, China | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Tianjin Jinmen Tiger | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2022 | Shandong Taishan | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2024 | Shandong Taishan | 1 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Shijiazhuang Gongfu (loan) | 20 | (0) |
| 2025 | Shijiazhuang Gongfu | 6 | (0) |
| 2025– | Tianjin Jinmen Tiger | 3 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022–2023 | China U20 | 6 | (1) |
| 2024– | China U23 | 9 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22 November 2025 | |||
Chen Zhexuan (simplified Chinese: 陈哲宣; traditional Chinese: 陳哲宣; pinyin: Chén Zhéxuān; born 24 September 2003) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Chinese Super League club Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.
Early life
Chen Zhexuan was born in Changsha, Hunan, to father Chen Rui.[1] Since July 2009, Chen had trained with Chinese former international footballer Wang Yan as his coach every day.[1] She later recalled in an interview that she could tell that Chen was talented by the way Chen ran.[1] Academically, Chen briefly attended Shuguang Primary School in Tianxin, Changsha.[1] As a seven year-old, in October 2010, Chen went on trial at the youth academy of Shandong Luneng Taishan, travelling to the football school with two 2001-born upper-years from his native Changsha.[1] He was ultimately selected by Shandong Luneng Taishan, and officially joined their academy a year later.[1] Since he was the first 2003-born player to sign for the club, he has had to first join the 2001 youth team before the 2003 youth team could be established.[1]
While at Shandong Luneng, Chen tried playing in various positions, before gaining foot in the defensive midfielder role.[1] He later became the captain of his 2003 youth team, and garnered interest in the youth teams of the China national team, who regularly called him up.[1] In 2019, he was sent by Shandong Luneng to train with Brazilian side and partner club Desportivo Brasil, to gain playing experience.[1] In the latter half of 2019, Chen played in 26 matches in Brazil, and praised Brazil for the level of football there.[2][3]
Club career
2022–2023
In 2022, Chen Zhexuan was among the Shandong Taishan youth squad that played in the 2022 AFC Champions League group stage, as a way for Shandong Taishan to avoid quarantining their first-team players upon their return to China due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] He made his debut for Shandong Taishan in a 7–0 defeat to Korean side Daegu.[5] He started in five of their six group stage matches as Shandong Taishan were eliminated, finishing in last place.[6] On 19 December 2022, he made his league debut for Shandong Taishan in an 8–0 win over Shenzhen, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute for Jin Jingdao, wearing the number 78.[7] In November 2023, Chen guided Shandong Taishan U21 to the 2023 CFA U-21 League title, and gained promotion to the 2024 China League Two.[8]
2024–present
On 18 January 2024, Chen Zhexuan was sent on loan to China League One side Shijiazhuang Gongfu, claiming the number 24 shirt.[9] He made his debut for the club on 17 March 2024, in a 3–1 away league defeat to Guangzhou.[10] Throughout the 2024 season, Chen made 21 appearances across all competitions.[6]
On 26 February 2025, Chen signed a permanent contract with Shijiazhuang Gongfu, and switched to the number 6.[11] On 20 April 2025, he scored his first senior goal in a 2–0 away victory at Tai'an Tiankuang in the 2025 Chinese FA Cup.[12]
On 16 July 2025, Chen made a move to Chinese Super League outfit Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.[13] On 14 September, he made his debut for Tianjin Jinmen Tiger in a 4–0 home league win over Wuhan Three Towns, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute.[14]
International career
Chen Zhexuan was a regular in China's youth teams, having first been selected at the under-14 level in November 2017, after the youth national team scouts spotted him with Shandong Luneng U14 in a match against Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol.[15][1]
On 15 September 2022, he scored a goal for China U20 in their 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification match against the Maldives in a 5–0 victory.[16]
In February 2023, Chen was selected as part of the China U20 squad for the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup.[17]
Personal life
In addition to his native Chinese, Chen also considers himself conversational in Portuguese, having learned the language while he played in Brazil.[2]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 1 November 2025[6]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Shandong Taishan | 2022 | Chinese Super League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[a] | 0 | – | 7 | 0 | |
| 2023 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[a] | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Shijiazhuang Gongfu (loan) | 2024 | China League One | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 21 | 0 | ||
| Shijiazhuang Gongfu | 2025 | China League One | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 8 | 1 | ||
| Tianjin Jinmen Tiger | 2025 | Chinese Super League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 30 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in AFC Champions League
- ^ Appearances in Chinese FA Super Cup
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "追梦少年 | "国字号"袖标加成 长沙足球小将陈哲宣希望"对得起"". sports.rednet.cn (in Chinese). 29 July 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ a b "桑巴笔记 | 陈哲宣：实战方知不足 防守仍需加强". baijiahao.baidu.com (in Chinese). 12 November 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "陈哲宣：亚冠和中超的经历 对这次亚青赛很有帮助". sports.sina.cn (in Chinese). 22 March 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "山东亚冠带队主帅：我们是一支年轻的球队，不惧怕任何人". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 14 April 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "Group F: Rampant Daegu cruise past Shandong Taishan". www.the-afc.com (in Chinese). 15 April 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ a b c Chen Zhexuan at Soccerway
- ^ "山东8-0深圳距三镇相差5个净胜球，克雷桑大四喜，费莱尼双响". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 19 December 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "U21联赛综述：山东提前一轮夺冠+冲乙，大连2-3不敌申花". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 2 November 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "官方：汪嵩、刘欢、刘乐等8人加盟石家庄功夫". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 18 January 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "广州3-1石家庄功夫，阿雷格里亚梅开二度，吴俊杰破门". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 17 March 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "官方：陈哲宣新赛季继续为石家庄功夫效力". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 26 February 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "石家庄功夫2-0客胜泰安天贶晋级，陈哲宣、邓嘉杰破门". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 20 April 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "官方：天津津门虎签下陈哲宣、李嗣镕、吕佳强三名球员". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 16 July 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "津门虎4-0三镇，哈达斯双响，王秋明、基莱斯建功，阿代米助攻". www.dongqiudi.com (in Chinese). 14 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
- ^ "中国足球协会关于国家U14男足选拔队集训的通知". www.thecfa.cn (in Chinese). 21 November 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "U-20亚洲杯预选赛中国队5:0马尔代夫队". www.thecfa.cn (in Chinese). 15 September 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "国青赴乌兹别克斯坦参加U20亚洲杯 小组出线成奢望" (in Chinese (China)). Sohu. 23 February 2023.
External links
- Chen Zhexuan at Soccerway