As Shanghai's local goalkeeper, Yan Junling has emerged from his base in Chongming to become the solid backbone of the Harbour team and a key figure in the national team's defense. Looking back at his first two Asian Cup campaigns, which epitomized his growth, he is eager to join hands with his teammates to take Chinese soccer to new heights this time around.
Yan Junling (1979-), Chinese soccer player
Date of birth: January 28, 1991
Playing for: Shanghai Harbor
Value assessment: Euro400,000
National team appearances: 53
Born and raised in Shanghai, Yan Junling has had a passion for soccer since he was a child and started his career as a goalkeeper at the age of 10. At the age of 15, he joined Shanghai Dongya, the predecessor of Shanghai Seaport, and has been a loyal member of the team for nearly 20 years since then.
In 2013, at the age of 22, Yan Junling was promoted to China's top league, the Chinese Super League, with his team and played 23 games in his first season, successfully overtaking Chongming teammate Sun Le and securing a spot in the starting lineup. The following year, he became the centerpiece of Shanghai SIPG, playing in 30 rounds of matches for four consecutive seasons, helping the team's record soar and break into the title contention group.
Yan Junling reached the pinnacle of his career in 2018 when he went hand in hand with Shanghai Hong Kong. In that season, he played 29 league matches for Shanghai Hong Kong, shutting out his opponents eight times, helping his team concede the fewest goals, and winning the Chinese Super League title. This was the first Chinese Super League title in SIPG's history and a major breakthrough for Yan Junling. With his outstanding performance, he was honored as the best goalkeeper of the Chinese Super League and was selected as the best team of the season.
Now 32 years old, Yan Junling is still the first choice in goal for the Harbour. This season, he played 29 league matches and managed to make 10 shutouts, once again helping his team to win the championship and the trophy.
At the national team level, the debate over who is better, Yan Junling or Wang Dalei, never stops.
Yan Junling's Asian Cup debut came in 2015, when 26-year-old Wang Dalei was the first choice of Perrin's bosses, preferred even to Zeng Cheng. He became an overnight hero after pouncing on a penalty in the opening game.
However, with Zeng Cheng missing frequently due to injury, the national team goalkeeper position in 2018 was not Wang Dalei's, and Yan Junling played almost the entire year.At the beginning of the 2019 Asian Cup, Yan Junling naturally became the main player, while Wang Dalei continued to serve as a substitute. This puts him under more pressure from time to time, and any small mistake will be severely criticized.
However, Yan Junling defended his position with his outstanding performance. In the last Asian Cup knockout match against Thailand, Gao Lin took a penalty kick and Yan Junling became the center of attention with his backside celebration. Towards the end of the match, when Thailand launched a fierce counter-attack, Yan Junling responded to all the doubts by making a series of brilliant saves to keep the goal intact.
From Italian coach Lippi to Chinese coach Li Tie, and now Serbian coach Jankovic, the tactics and personnel of the national team have been constantly adjusted, but Yan Junling has always been the lynchpin of the team, winning the trust of every coach. His calm and introverted personality, stable mentality and emotions are all his strengths. As an excellent goalkeeper, he will be a strong backing for the national team in this tournament.
