Li Lei (footballer, born 1992)

Li Lei (Mandarin pronunciation: ; born 30 May 1992) is a Chinese footballer who currently plays as a left-back for Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan and the China national team.

Club career
Li Lei spent his youth career at his hometown team Qingdao Hailifeng and would go on to establish himself as left midfielder before recently promoted side Nanchang Hengyuan became interested in him at the end of the 2009 league season where they would promote him to the senior side.

He made his professional football league debut at the age of seventeen on April 17, 2010 against Hangzhou Greentown, however he received a straight red card just ten minutes into his career after fouling Hangzhou player Sun Ji. Despite this setback once his suspension ended he was immediately brought back into the senior side and start the next possible game on May 9, 2010 against Shaanxi Zhongjian. He scored his first goal for Shanghai Shenxin in a 2-0 win against Jiangsu Sainty on the 31st October 2010.

Henan Jianye
Li transferred to Henan Jianye on 16 February 2013. He won the 2013 China League One title with Henan in his first season and promoted back to the Chinese Super League after a one-year absence.

Beijing Guoan
On 18 January 2015, Li made a move to fellow Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan. He scored his first goal for Beijing on 21 April 2017 in a 1–1 home draw against Tianjin Quanjian. On 30 November 2018, he won the 2018 Chinese FA Cup with Guoan after a 2-2 away draw (aggregated 3-3 draw, Guoan won on away goals) against Shandong Luneng, his first trophy with the club and the club's first major trophy in 9 years.

Grasshoppers
On 20 December 2021, Li signed with Grasshoppers in Switzerland. On 5 February 2022, he made his Swiss Super League debut in a 3-1 home defeat against FC Zürich.

On 28 February 2023, Li terminated his contract with Grasshoppers, despite only having a few more months left of his contract. In his 14 appearances, 13 in the league and one in the cup, he supplied one assist.

Return to Guoan
On 30 March 2023, Li returned to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan.

International career
Li made his debut for the Chinese national team in a 1–0 loss against Thailand in the 2019 China Cup.

On 12 December 2023, Li was named in China's squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

Honours
Henan Jianye
 * China League One: 2013

Beijing Guoan
 * Chinese FA Cup: 2018