Afrden Asqer

Afrden Asqer (Chinese: 艾菲尔丁.艾斯卡尔; pinyin: Àifēiěrdīng Àisīkǎ'ěr; born 15 September 2003) is an ethnic Uyghur Chinese footballer currently playing as a forward for Guangzhou F.C.

Afrden Asqer
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-09-15) 15 September 2003 [note 1]
Place of birth Kashgar, Xinjiang, China
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Guangzhou
Youth career
0000–2017 Shaanxi Laochenggen
2017 Shimizu S-Pulse
2017–2018 Kashima Antlers
2018–2020 Guangzhou
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Guangzhou 23 (0)
2020 → China U19 (loan) 8 (3)
2021 → China U20 (loan) 3 (0)
2021 → Suzhou Dongwu (loan) 24 (2)
2023 → Mjällby AIF (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2017 China U16
2018 China U17 4 (1)
2019 China U18 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:01, 17 February 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:01, 27 July 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Born in Kashgar, Xinjiang, trained in Xi'an, Shaanxi, Asqer played for Shaanxi Laochenggen until 2017, when he moved to Japan to sign for Shimizu S-Pulse.[1] While in Japan, he also played for Kashima Antlers.

In 2018, he returned to China to join the youth ranks of Guangzhou.[2] Asqer went on to represent the China under-19 and under-20 teams in the China League Two in 2020 and 2021.[2][3]

2021 season

While also representing the China under-20 select in League Two, Asqer also played for Suzhou Dongwu in League One, again on loan from Guangzhou.[2]

In March 2023, Asqer signd for Allsvenskan club Mjällby AIF on loan for the 2023 season with the option to make the move permanent.[4]

Age controversy

Asqer's outstanding performance in the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup captaining for China drew widespread media attention.[5] However, reports emerged that Asqer may have altered his age in the past. Accordingly, bone age reports published by the Chinese FA in 2012 showed a youth player by Asqer's same name with birthday of 2 May 2000. Bone age reports in 2014 showed another player with Asqer's name having been born on 28 January 2001. The same series of report in 2015 again showed a player with Asqer's name with a birthday of 15 September 2003.[6] The Chinese FA and Guangzhou have not, as of March 2023, responded to the allegation of age change. Asqer rejected the allegations on 11 March 2023.[7]

Career statistics

Club
As of 27 July 2021.[8]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Guangzhou 2020 Chinese Super League 0000–0000
2021 0000–0000
Total 0000000000
China U19 (loan) 2020 China League Two 8300–0083
China U20 (loan) 2021 3000–0030
Suzhou Dongwu (loan) 2021 China League One 24200–00242
Career total 355000000355

    Notes
    1. Alternative documents show player with Asqer's name with birthdays of 1 January 2001 and 2 May 2000. See Age controversy section for more detail.

    References
    1. "新疆小将加盟J联赛清水心跳U18队，曾入选国少" [Xinjiang teenager joins the J-League Shimizu S-Pulse U18 team and was selected as a national junior]. sohu.com (in Chinese). 18 August 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
    2. "恒大淘到宝了！17岁天才闪耀中甲 首秀贡献1球1助攻" [Evergrande has found a treasure! 17-year-old genius shines in China's first show with 1 goal and 1 assist]. sohu.com (in Chinese). 26 April 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
    3. "艾菲尔丁-艾斯卡尔入选U20国家队，苏州东吴损失锋线悍将！" [Afrden Asqer was selected for the U20 national team, Suzhou Dongwu lost the striker champion!]. new.qq.com (in Chinese). 11 May 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
    4. "Välkommen till Mjällby AIF, Afrden Asqer!" [Welcome to Mjällby AIF, Afrden Asqer!]. www.maif.se (in Swedish). 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
    5. "国足未来最大希望：艾菲尔丁3场亚青赛独造4球，前途无量！". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
    6. "乱套了！国足新星被曝年龄造假，改小3岁踢亚洲杯，足协再遭质疑". sports.ifeng.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2023-03-23.
    7. 每日足球微看点 (2023-03-11). "辟谣了！艾菲尔丁否认改年龄，之前错怪他了，中国足球有望崛起". k.sina.cn. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
    8. Afrden Asqer at Soccerway


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