Qiu Li

Qiu Li
邱礼
Personal information
Date of birth	6 June 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth	Shenyang, Liaoning, China
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder / Striker
Team information
Current team	Balestier Khalsa
Youth career
1996–1999	Changchun Yatai
Senior career*
Years	Team
2000	Changchun Yatai
2001–2004	Liaoning Zhongyu
2005	→ Sinchi FC (loan)
2006	Young Lions
2007	Home United
2008–2010	Tampines Rovers
2011–2012	Home United
2013	Balestier Khalsa
2014	Home United
Total
International career‡
2008–2013	Singapore
Managerial career
2015–	Liaoning Tieren (Assistant Coach)
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of Aug 14, 2017; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of Aug 14, 2017

Qiu Li (Chinese: 邱礼, born June 6, 1981, in Shenyang, Liaoning, China) is a naturalised Chinese-Singaporean former professional association football player and current Assistant Coach of China League One club, Liaoning Tieren.

Playing career

Club career

Qiu started his senior career in Changchun Yatai and transferred to Liaoning Zhongyu in 2001. He was released by the club in 2005 as he was surplus to requirements.

Qiu was brought to Singapore to play for the S. League club, Sinchi FC, in 2005.^[1] After the club decided to pull out of the S-league for the 2006 season, he stayed in Singapore and agreed on a contract with the Young Lions where he excelled with 19 goals from 25 matches played.^[2] He joined Home United in 2007 but failed to find his form and joined Tampines Rovers in 2008. Impressive displays in his debuting two seasons earned him Singapore citizenship. In 2011, he joined Home United again and in 2013 he joined Balestier Khalsa after being released by Home United.^[3]

Qiu returned to Home United for the third time in 2014.^[4] However at the end of the season, he were released by the team again, and retired from playing professionally soon after.^[5]

International career

Qiu made his debut for the Singapore national football team on 28 May 2008, in a friendly against Bahrain.

However, on 24 November 2008, FIFA banned Qiu from playing for Singapore because he did not meet the new criteria stating that a new citizen needs to reside in his new country for five years. Qiu Li had only lived in Singapore for three years. Thus he would be only eligible to represent Singapore in 2010.^[6] Singapore lost two games by forfeit (3–0) during 2010 World Cup qualifiers because Qiu was lined up.^[7]

Qiu Li was naturalised in 2010 under the Foreign Sports Talent Scheme and was eligible to play for Singapore in 2010 under FIFA rules.^[8]^[9]

On 23 July 2011, Qiu Li scored his first goal for Singapore in the first leg of the World Cup Qualifier against Malaysia played at a sold out crowd at Jalan Besar Stadium.

Coaching career

After retirement from professional football in 2015, Qiu returned to his hometown and joined China League Two (3rd division) club, Liaoning Shenyang. He helped the club to become the 2019 China League Two champions and see them promoted to China League One for the 2020 season.

Honours

Singapore

AFF Championship: 2012

Home United

Singapore Cup: 2011

Balestier Khalsa

League Cup: 2013

References

^ "Asiaone - S'pore firm offers". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
^ [1]^{[dead link‍]}
^ "Qiu Li still looking to make mark". AsiaOne. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
^ "Qiu Li returns Home for third time | Goal.com". www.goal.com.
^ "Disillusioned ex-footballers haunted by lack of job security". The Straits Times. 4 March 2015.
^ Tan, Les. "National footballer Qiu Li gets tackled from behind by new FIFA law". RED SPORTS. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
^ Qiu ineligible for Singapore – FIFA, the-AFC.com, 4 December 2008.
^ "Foreign talent scheme 'can help Lions roar again'". TODAYonline. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
^ hermes (23 September 2018). "Football: Foreign talent hunt back on the table for FAS". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2 July 2021.

External links

Qiu Li at National-Football-Teams.com

[1] "Asiaone - S'pore firm offers". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 9 November 2022.

[2] [1]^{[dead link‍]}

[3] "Qiu Li still looking to make mark". AsiaOne. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2021.

[4] "Qiu Li returns Home for third time | Goal.com". www.goal.com.

[5] "Disillusioned ex-footballers haunted by lack of job security". The Straits Times. 4 March 2015.

[6] Tan, Les. "National footballer Qiu Li gets tackled from behind by new FIFA law". RED SPORTS. Retrieved 9 November 2022.

[singapore-7] Qiu ineligible for Singapore – FIFA, the-AFC.com, 4 December 2008.

[:0-8] "Foreign talent scheme 'can help Lions roar again'". TODAYonline. Retrieved 2 July 2021.

[9] rmes (23 September 2018). "Football: Foreign talent hunt back on the table for FAS". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2 July 2021.

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