Gao Leilei

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Gao Leilei
高雷雷

| image =

| fullname = Gao Leilei

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|7|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Beijing, China

| height = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Attacking midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1996–1997

| youthclubs1 = Beijing Electric Bus

| years1 = 1998

| clubs1 = Wuhan

| caps1 = 7

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1999–2007

| clubs2 = Beijing Guoan

| caps2 = 121

| goals2 = 11

| years3 = 2006–2007

| clubs3 = → New Zealand Knights (loan)

| caps3 = 7

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2007

| clubs4 = MyPa

| caps4 = 7

| goals4 = 2

| years5 = 2008

| clubs5 = Wellington Phoenix

| caps5 = 8

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2009

| clubs6 = Beijing Hongdeng

| caps6 = 1

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2009

| clubs7 = FC KooTeePee

| caps7 = 9

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2010

| clubs8 = NSC Minnesota Stars

| caps8 = 10

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2010

| clubs9 = Beijing Baxy

| caps9 = 11

| goals9 = 2

| years10 = 2016–2019

| clubs10 = Cornellà

| caps10 = 4

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2019

| clubs11 = Jumilla

| caps11 = 5

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2019–2020

| clubs12 = Ponferradina

| caps12 = 0

| goals12 = 0

| years13 = 2020

| clubs13 = Extremadura

| caps13 = 1

| goals13 = 0

| totalcaps = 183 | totalgoals = 17

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 =

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 20 July 2020

| ntupdate =

}}

Gao Leilei (Simplified Chinese: 高雷雷; born 15 July 1980) is a Chinese retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

Career

=China=

Gao began his professional career with top tier club Wuhan in 1998, before moving to fellow top tier club Beijing Guoan in 1999. It was with Beijing Guoan that Gao first gained the public notice of Chinese football community when he scored the equaliser against Liaoning in the final game of the season to deny them the 1999 Jia-A League title. At Guoan he would win the 2003 Chinese FA Cup with the club and score in the quarter-final and semi-finals of the tournament, despite not appearing in the final itself.{{Cite web|url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/c/2003-03-04/1421400235.shtml|title=北京现代夺冠--2003足协杯最终射手榜(截至10.1)|publisher=Sports.sina.com.cn|date=2003-03-04|accessdate=2019-08-22}} After spending eight years in total at Guoan, making 121 appearances for the team and scoring 11 goals he would leave the team.

=New Zealand and Finland=

Towards the end of the 2006 season, Gao expressed his wish to leave the team and seek other options. There were speculations that Gao was going to a team in the Segunda División in Spain, but in December 2006 he was loaned to A-League club New Zealand Knights for a short period. Gao made this debut in the A-League for the Knights on December 3, 2006 against Newcastle Jets, and scored his first A-League goal in his second match against Adelaide United.

Following the dissolution of the Knights franchise, Gao moved to Finland and signed with team MyPa, and in doing so became the first Chinese footballer to play in the Veikkausliiga. Gao made his debut against FC Honka as a substitute on April 22, 2007, and made his first start for against TPS Turku on April 26, 2007.

On March 18, 2008, Gao signed a one-year contract with New Zealand club Wellington Phoenix, rejoining his former manager from the Knights, Ricki Herbert.{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4444283a1823.html |title=Phoenix strengthen midfield with speedy Gao |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=March 18, 2008 |accessdate=2012-06-23 |archive-date=2012-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053217/http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/322137/Phoenix-strengthen-midfield-with-speedy-Gao |url-status=dead }} However, Gao's contract with the New Zealand club was terminated after a reported disagreement with the front office after just 8 games.{{cite web|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/89339,gao-gone-in-phoenix-bustup.aspx |title=Gao Gone In Phoenix Axing |publisher=au.fourfourtwo.com |date=Nov 19, 2008 |access-date=2012-06-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304194522/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/89339,gao-gone-in-phoenix-bustup.aspx |archive-date=2012-03-04 |df= }} Gao was linked with a move to A-League club Perth Glory after training with the club, but was not signed.{{cite web|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/89433,piorkowski-off-to-gold-coast-too.aspx?r=rss |title=Piorkowski Off To Gold Coast Too |publisher=au.fourfourtwo.com |date=Nov 20, 2008 |access-date=2012-06-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304195001/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/89433,piorkowski-off-to-gold-coast-too.aspx?r=rss |archive-date=2012-03-04 |df= }}

On July 3, 2009, Gao returned to Beijing and signed a short contract with Beijing Hongdeng{{cite web |url=http://news.xinmin.cn/rollnews/2009/07/08/2207897.html |script-title=zh:只为公平高雷雷不踢中超踢中甲|publisher=news.xinmin.cn |date=2009-07-08 |accessdate=2012-06-23|language=zh}} but, after just one month with the team, he transferred to Finland again signing with FC KooTeePee. He made his debut for FC KooTeePee on August 16, 2009 against AC Oulu.{{cite web |url=http://www.fckooteepee.fi/?page=showCalendar&date=2009-08-16 |title=Ykkösen ottelu|publisher=fckooteepee.fi |date=2009-08-16 |accessdate=2012-06-23}}

=United States=

On March 22, 2010 Gao landed in his fourth country when signed with NSC Minnesota Stars of the American USSF Division 2 Professional League.{{cite web |url=http://www.nscminnesota.org/news/press_releases/411975.html |title=NSC Minnesota signs four new players |publisher=nscminnesota.org |date=March 22, 2010 |access-date=2012-06-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328140156/http://www.nscminnesota.org/news/press_releases/411975.html |archive-date=March 28, 2010 |df= }}

He was released by the team on June 29, 2010,{{cite web |url=http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/06/29/leilei-gao-released-by-nsc-minnesota-stars-soccer-nasl-ussf-d2/ |title=Leilei Gao Released by NSC Minnesota Stars |publisher=insidemnsoccer.com |date=2010-06-29 |accessdate=2012-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321143142/http://www.insidemnsoccer.com/2010/06/29/leilei-gao-released-by-nsc-minnesota-stars-soccer-nasl-ussf-d2/ |archive-date=2012-03-21 |url-status=dead }} having never really settled in Minnesota, and having scored just one goal in ten games for the Stars.

=Return to China=

Gao returned to Beijing again and joined Beijing Baxy in July 2010. He scored his first goal on the first appearance, in a 3-0 home win against Anhui Jiufang. Gao announced his retirement from professional football due to problems with injuries on 6 March 2011.{{cite web |url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/b/2011-03-07/04275478077.shtml |script-title=zh:高雷雷正式宣布退役 31岁就此结束职业足球生涯|publisher=au.fourfourtwo.com |date=2011-03-07 |accessdate=2012-06-23|language=zh}}

=Spain=

Gao made his return to football in January 2016, signing a half-year contract with Segunda División B side Cornellà.{{cite web |url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/china/other/2015-11-04/doc-ifxkhcfn4355882.shtml |script-title=zh:高雷雷复出踢西乙B发布会举行球队:他符合要求|publisher=sina |date=2015-11-04 |accessdate=2016-03-30|language=zh}} On March 19, 2016, he made his debut for Cornellà in a 2–0 home victory against Espanyol B.{{cite web |url=http://sports.qq.com/a/20160320/008720.htm |script-title=zh:高雷雷36岁完成西乙联赛首秀获全场球迷欢呼|publisher=qq |date=2016-03-20 |accessdate=2016-03-30|language=zh}} He extended his contract with Cornellà for one year in the summer of 2016. In August 2017, he extended his contract again for another year.{{cite web |url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/china/other/2017-08-17/doc-ifykcypp8387884.shtml|script-title=zh:老骥伏枥!高雷雷与西乙B队再续1年微博晒续约图|publisher=sina |date=2017-08-17 |accessdate=2017-08-18 |language=zh}} On 9 January 2019, Gao joined FC Jumilla.[https://www.futbolclubjumilla.es/fichaje-leilei-gao-primera-incorporacion-de-invierno-para-el-primer-equipo/ Leilei Gao, primera incorporación de invierno para el primer equipo], futbolclubjumilla.es

On 20 August 2019, Gao signed a six-month deal with SD Ponferradina in Segunda División, due to a sponsorship deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.sdponferradina.com/noticias/noticia/la-sd-ponferradina-cierra-un-nuevo-acuerdo-de-patrocinio-e-incorpora-a-leilei-gao|title=La SD Ponferradina cierra un nuevo acuerdo de patrocinio e incorpora a Leilei Gao|trans-title=SD Ponferradina agree a new sponsorship deal and sign Leilei Gao|publisher=SD Ponferradina|language=es|date=20 August 2019|accessdate=21 August 2019}} The following 12 January, he signed another short-term deal with another team from the second division, Extremadura UD.{{cite web|url=https://www.extremaduraud.com/leilei-gao-es-azulgrana/|title=Leilei Gao es azulgrana|trans-title=Leilei Gao is blue-and-red|publisher=Extremadura UD|language=es|date=12 February 2020|accessdate=19 February 2020}} He was controversially given the number 19 shirt that had been retired since the death of José Antonio Reyes the previous June; this error was rectified by the club.{{cite news |last1=Anduro |first1=Joaquín |title=El Extremadura aclara la polémica con el dorsal de Reyes y el fichaje del chino de 39 años Leilei Gao|trans-title=Extremadura clear up the controversy over Reyes' number and the signing of 39-year-old Chinese player Leilei Gao|url=https://eldesmarque.com/actualidad/futbol/lfp-segunda-ligasmartbank/extremadura/1375843-el-extremadura-aclara-la-polemica-con-el-dorsal-de-reyes-y-el-fichaje-del-chino-de-39-anos-leilei-gao |accessdate=13 July 2020 |publisher=El Desmarque |date=13 February 2020 |language=Spanish}}

In July 2020, Gao announced his retirement from professional football.{{cite web |author1=Wang Yu |title=留洋球员高雷雷宣布退役足球职业经历堪称传奇 |url=http://www.chinanews.com/ty/2020/07-21/9244128.shtml |website=chinanews.com |accessdate=22 October 2020 |language=Chinese}}

Honours

Beijing Guoan

Chinese FA Cup: 2003{{Cite web|url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/c/2003-10-01/1540604712.shtml|title=现代沈阳虎口拔牙 3比0击败实德足协杯三次夺冠|publisher=Sports.sina.com.cn|date=2003-10-01|accessdate=2019-08-22}}
Chinese Football Super Cup: 2003{{Cite web|url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2004-01-18/1731741156.shtml|title=现代4比3胜申花第二次夺超霸杯科内塞独中二元|publisher=Sports.sina.com.cn|date=2004-01-18|accessdate=2019-08-22}}

References

External links

{{BDFutbol|23277}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110718025637/http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/default.aspx?s=wellfc_playerprofile_item&pid=1241 Wellington Phoenix profile]
{{in lang|zh}} [http://blog.sina.com.cn/m/gaoleilei Personal blog]

Category:1980 births

Category:Living people

Category:Chinese men's footballers

Category:Footballers from Beijing

Category:Chinese Super League players

Category:China League One players

Category:21st-century Chinese sportsmen

Category:A-League Men players

Category:Veikkausliiga players

Category:USSF Division 2 Professional League players

Category:Segunda División B players

Category:Wuhan Optics Valley F.C. players