Sun Jihai 孙继海

Club: Manchester City, Premiership

Height: 183 cm

Weight: 75 kg

Birthplace: Liaoning, China

Position: Right Back

Having scored the best performances in the Premiership among Chinese overseas players, it's no doubt that Sun Jihai is China's hottest soccer icon. However, Sun first moved Chinese soccer fans with a bitter story.

Born on March 9, 1977 in China's football city of Dalian, Sun experienced his first and almost biggest strike at the end of 1993 when he saw his name not on the roster of a business-sponsored team - Jianlibao that would be sent to Brazil for three-year overseas training.

But Sun built himself up out of the sorrow motion by doing equally well at home: he became the youngest member of then national team in 1996.

Sun joined Manchester City in March 2002 from Dalian Wanda after a one-year spell in Crystal Palace under former English manager Terry Venerbles. In the first month following his transfer, Sun beat a hot French forward Nicholas Anelka to be elected the most valuable City player by English fans.

Following a World Cup campaign where Sun shone despite China's disastrous results, he became the first Chinese player ever to score in the Barclaycard Premiership when he headed home the first City goal in their 2-0 win over Birmingham.

"As a raiding wing-back, he showed that he has the ability to play at the highest level, along with Li Tie of Everton, he was a proud ambassador for his country and a sign of its rising profile in the world of football," according to the Manchester club's official site.

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