Sun Jihai

About Sun Jihai

Every riddle on Daily Play hides a real career, and the one belonging to Sun Jihai spans 22 years. Born in 1977, the Chinese right-back first appeared at Dalian Shide before the path wound through 8 clubs in total. That journey has since ended — Beijing Renhe hosted the farewell in 2016.

Laid out in order, the itinerary reads: Dalian Shide (1994–2001), then Crystal Palace (1998–1999), then Manchester City (2002–2008), then Sheffield United (2008–2009), then Chengdu Blades (2009–2009), then Guizhou Renhe (2010–2014), then Chongqing Lifan (2015–2015), then Beijing Renhe (2015–2016). Every transfer on that list changed the trajectory in its own way.

If one badge defines the grid, it is Dalian Shide — home for close to 7 years. Crossing borders in 1998, the switch to Crystal Palace brought a first taste of football in England. From start to finish the map lights up across China, England.

On the stat sheet: 453 recorded appearances, 11 goals.

And then there are the details only true fans know. He was rejected from a well-regarded Brazilian youth training program early on, but did not let the setback derail his career. In October 2002 he became the first East Asian footballer to score in the Premier League, heading in a goal against Birmingham City. After retiring in 2016 he founded a sports technology company that later secured funding from major Chinese investors including Tencent.

Next time a grid ends at Beijing Renhe, you will have an edge. Each of the 8 clubs listed below doubles as a clue, and knowing how Sun's chapters connect separates a first-attempt guess from a near miss.