Jian Tao (Chinese: 蹇韬; pinyin: Jiǎn Tāo; born 22 June 2001) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Chinese Super League club Chengdu Rongcheng.

Jian Tao
Jian Tao in August 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-06-22) 22 June 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Guangyuan, Sichuan, China
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Chengdu Rongcheng
Number 16
Youth career
2012–2013 Chengdu Derui
2013–2019 Chengdu FA
2019–2020 Olympique Lyonnais
2020–2021 Villefranche Beaujolais
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Villefranche Beaujolais 0 (0)
2023– Chengdu Rongcheng 11 (0)
International career
2016 China U15
2017 China U16
2018 China U17
2019 China U18
2020 China U19
2021 China U20
2022 China U21
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 November 2023

Club career

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Born in Guangyuan, Sichuan, Jian started his career with the Chengdu Derui football training school in 2012.[1] He was scouted by the Chengdu Football Association, and joined the representative team in 2013.[2] In 2018 he began training with French Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais, and signed officially the following year.[2]

After a year and a half with Lyon, Jian moved to satellite club Villefranche Beaujolais.[2][3] However, after only one appearance for the club, coming off the bench in a 12–0 Coupe de France win over US Mozac, he was released by the club in July 2022.[4][5]

Chengdu Rongcheng

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Following his release, he trained with Chinese Super League side Chengdu Rongcheng in January 2023,[6] before going on to sign permanently with the club on 7 April 2023.[7]

On 4 August 2023, Jian made his Chinese Super league debut for Chengdu in a 3–2 away defeat at Qingdao Hainiu. He then immediately replaced Zhang Yan as the team's first-choice goalkeeper and started in all of the final 11 league matches of the season, keeping 4 clean sheets.

International career

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Jian has represented China from under-15 to under-21 level.[8][9][10][11]

On 12 December 2023, Jian was named in China's squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.[12][13] He was the only player in the squad with no previous national team experience and his selection led to controversy among fans not because they question his ability but because of manager Aleksandar Janković's decision to field 4 goalkeepers in the 26-man squad.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 4 November 2023.[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Villefranche Beaujolais 2020–21 Championnat National 0 0 1[a] 0 0 0 1 0
2021–22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Chengdu Rongcheng 2023 Chinese Super League 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
Career total 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 0
Notes
  1. ^ Appearances in the Coupe de France preliminary rounds

References

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  1. ^ "中国国青队主力门将蹇韬加盟法丙球队" [The main goalkeeper of the Chinese National Youth Team, Jian Tao, joins the France C team]. new.qq.com (in Chinese). 9 July 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "01国青门将蹇韬:目标法甲 盼成五大联赛国门第一人" [01 National Youth goalkeeper Jian Tao: The goal of Ligue 1 is to become the first player in the five major leagues]. sports.sina.com.cn (in Chinese). 16 July 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  3. ^ "19岁国青小将加盟法丙球队,官方宣布闹出乌龙" [19-year-old national youth player joined the French third team, and the official announcement was an own goal]. sohu.com (in Chinese). 9 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  4. ^ "博主:中国门将蹇韬离开法丙博若莱自由城,仅在法国杯出场1次" [Blogger: Chinese goalkeeper Jian Tao left Beaujolais Villefranche and only played once in the French Cup]. c.m.163.com (in Chinese). 5 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  5. ^ "法国杯第3人!法丙球队12-0大胜,19岁中国门将替补出场" [French Cup 3rd man! France C team won 12-0, the 19-year-old Chinese goalkeeper came off the bench]. sports.sohu.com (in Chinese). 18 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  6. ^ "留洋门将蹇韬已经回到国内,正跟随成都蓉城训练" [The overseas goalkeeper Jian Tao has returned to China and is training with Chengdu Rongcheng]. ppsport.com (in Chinese). 2 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  7. ^ "21岁门将蹇韬加盟成都蓉城 曾留洋法国里昂队 多次入选国青、国奥" [The 21-year-old goalkeeper Jian Tao joined Chengdu Rongcheng and once stayed abroad in the French Lyon team. He was selected for the National Youth and Olympic Games for many times]. sohu.com (in Chinese). 7 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. ^ "就在刚刚!官方宣布:19岁国青门将加盟法丙俱乐部,曾零封国外" [Just now! The official announcement: the 19-year-old national youth goalkeeper joined the France C club and had zero foreign awards]. sohu.com (in Chinese). 29 December 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  9. ^ "国安7人 入选国青U18" [Seven people from Guoan were selected for National Youth U18]. m.chinanews.com (in Chinese). 25 July 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  10. ^ "U19男足国家队最新集训名单出炉 恒大5人入选" [The latest training list of the U19 men's national team has been released, and 5 players from Evergrande have been selected]. chinanews.com.cn (in Chinese). 11 May 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  11. ^ "U-21国足第三期集训名单公布,申花5人、海港1人入选" [The U-21 National Football Team's third training list was announced, with 5 Shenhua players and 1 Haigang player selected]. jfdaily.com (in Chinese). 15 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Group A: China PR 0-0 Tajikistan". Asian Football Confederation. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  13. ^ "中国男足亚洲杯集训名单出炉 唯一新面孔是个门将" [Chinese men's football team's Asian Cup roster released, the only new face is a goalkeeper] (in Chinese). China Youth Net. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  14. ^ Jian Tao at Soccerway
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