Cao Yongjing

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Cao Yongjing
曹永竞

| image = File:Cao Yongjing 2024-08-04 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Cao Yongjing in August 2024

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1997|2|15}}

| birth_place = Chongqing, China

| height = {{height|m=1.80}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Beijing Guoan

| clubnumber = 37

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2015–2020

| clubs1 = Beijing Renhe

| caps1 = 89

| goals1 = 8

| years2 = 2021–

| clubs2 = Beijing Guoan

| caps2 = 53

| goals2 = 10

| years3 = 2023

| clubs3 = → Changchun Yatai (loan)

| caps3 = 20

| goals3 = 2

| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016

| nationalteam1 = China U-19

| nationalcaps1 = 18

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = 2017–2019

| nationalteam2 = China U-23

| nationalcaps2 = 17

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| nationalyears3 = 2024–

| nationalteam3 = China

| nationalcaps3 = 5

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| pcupdate = 2 November 2024

| ntupdate = 19 November 2024

}}

Cao Yongjing ({{zh|s=曹永竞}}; born 15 February 1997) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays for Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan and the China national team.

Club career

=Beijing Renhe=

Cao Yongjing was promoted to Chinese Super League side Guizhou Renhe's first team squad in 2015.[http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2015-03-05/15057533322.shtml 2015年贵州人和足球俱乐部中超联赛比赛名单] at sports.sina.com 2015-03-05. Retrieved 2015-03-15 {{in lang|zh}} On 14 March 2015, he made his Super League debut in a 2-0 away defeat at Jiangsu Sainty, coming on as a substitute for Magnus Eriksson in the 76th minute.[http://sports.sohu.com/20150314/n409795662.shtml 任航携新援建功铁卫伤退舜天2-0胜人和] at sports.sohu.com 2015-03-14. Retrieved 2015-03-15 {{in lang|zh}} Unfortunately he would be part of the team that was relegated at the end of the 2015 Chinese Super League season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/china2015.html|title=China 2015|publisher=rsssf.org|date=2018-08-02|access-date=2022-07-07}} He would remain loyal towards the club as they moved locations, renamed themselves Beijing Renhe and gained promotion back into the top tier at the end of the 2017 league season.{{cite web|url=http://www.fa.org.cn/bulletin/file/2016-01-06/490519.html|title=关于贵州人和足球俱乐部有限公司主要股权转让并更名为北京人和足球俱乐部有限公司的公示|publisher=fa.org.cn|date=2016-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111131451/http://www.fa.org.cn/bulletin/file/2016-01-06/490519.html|accessdate=2021-01-31|archive-date=11 January 2016}} On 15 April 2017, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 home win against Meizhou Hakka.

On 10 March 2018, he scored hist first Chinese Super League goal in a 2-1 away win against Tianjin Quanjian. At the end of the 2019 Chinese Super League he would experience another relegation with the club.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/china2019.html|title=China 2019|publisher=rsssf.org|date=2021-05-27|access-date=2023-01-31}}

=Beijing Guoan=

On 9 February 2021, Cao joined city rivals Beijing Guoan on a free transfer following the disbandment of Beijing Renhe, and was given the number 37 shirt.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=10 February 2021|title=Cao Yongjing Joins Beijing Guoan|url=https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4602993036760499|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210020404/https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4602993036760499|archive-date=10 February 2021|access-date=10 February 2021|website=Sina Weibo}} On 24 April 2021, he made his debut in the opening league game against Shanghai Shenhua that ended in a 2-1 defeat.{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/04/23/china-pr/csl/shanghai-shenhua/beijing-guoan-football-club/3492304/|title=SHANGHAI SHENHUA VS. BEIJING GUOAN 2 - 1|publisher=soccerway.com|date=2021-04-23|access-date=2023-02-16}} On 4 January 2022, he scored his first goal for the club in the final league game of the season against Shenzhen F.C. in a 1-0 victory.{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2022/01/04/china-pr/csl/shenzhen-shangqingyin/beijing-guoan-football-club/3704474/|title=SHENZHEN VS. BEIJING GUOAN 0 - 1|publisher=soccerway.com|date=2022-01-04|access-date=2023-02-16}}

==Loan to Changchun Yatai==

On 7 April 2023, Cao joined fellow Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai on loan for the 2023 season.{{cite web|url=https://dongqiudi.com/articles/3369177.html|title=莱昂纳多、阿不都海米提、毕津浩等11名球员加盟长春亚泰|publisher=dongqiudi|date=7 April 2023|access-date=7 April 2023|language=zh}} On 15 April 2023, he made his debut for Yatai in a 2-0 away win against Zhejiang Professional. On 14 May 2023, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2-2 away draw against Chengdu Rongcheng.

== Return to Beijing Guoan and National Team Selection ==

After returning to Guoan following a loan spell at Yatai, Cao reached his career peak during the 2024 season, where he scored a career-high 8 goals in only 15 appearances, which paved his way into being selected by the national team.

International career

On 14 November 2024, Cao made his international debut in a 1-0 away win against Bahrain in the third round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.{{cite news|url=https://m.dongqiudi.com/article/4680497.html|title=两连胜！国足客场1-0绝杀巴林升至小组第四，张玉宁一击制胜|publisher=Dongqiudi|date=14 November 2024|access-date=24 November 2024}}

Career statistics

Statistics accurate as of match played 2 November 2024.[http://www.sodasoccer.com/search/player/171/340446/1624A37BD5D76048.shtml 曹永竞] at sodasoccer.com Retrieved 2015-11-01 {{in lang|zh}} {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116131817/http://www.sodasoccer.com/search/player/171/340446/1624A37BD5D76048.shtml |date=2018-11-16}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan=6\|Guizhou Renhe/ Beijing Renhe	2015	Chinese Super League	1	0	2	0	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|3	0
2017	China League One	27	3	1	0	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|28	3
2018	rowspan=2\|Chinese Super League	22	2	2	0	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|24	0
2019	25	0	1	0	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|26	0
2020	China League One	14	3	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|2{{efn\|Appearances in Promotion/Relegation Playoffs}}	0	16	3
colspan="2"\|Total !89\|\|8\|\|6\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|2\|\|0\|\|97\|\|8
rowspan="4" \|Beijing Guoan \|2021 \| rowspan="3" \|Chinese Super League \|19	1	1	0	0	0	colspan="2"
\|20	1
2022 \|19	1	1	1	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|20	2
2024 \|15	8	2	0	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|17	8
colspan="2" \|Total !53\|\|10\|\|4\|\|1\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|57\|\|11
Changchun Yatai (loan) \|2023 \|Chinese Super League \|20	2	1	1	colspan="2"
\|colspan="2"
\|21	3
colspan="3" \| Career total !162\|\|20\|\|11\|\|2\|\|0\|\|0\|\|2\|\|0\|\|175\|\|22