Former China national football team captain and Grimsby Town cult hero Zhang Enhua died on Thursday, aged 48, according to reports in Chinese media.
State news agency Xinhua cited a source close to his family confirming the news, which had quickly spread throughout Chinese social media platforms on Thursday.
The Chinese Football Asscociation wrote a tribute on China’s Twitter-like Weibo, listing the former footballer’s career achievements, including seven league titles with his hometown side Dalian Shide.
“Comrade Zhang Enhua, a former member of the Chinese National Men’s Football Team, died of illness on April 29, 2021 at the age of 48,” the CFA’s post began, ending “Zhang Enhua rests in peace, go all the way!”
Zhang made his China debut in 1995 and the defender was part of the China squad who qualified for the 2002 Fifa World Cup in Japan and South Korea, the only time that the men’s national team have played at the World Cup.
He was an unused substitute at the World Cup, where China lost their group games to Costa Rica, Brazil and Turkey.
Fan Zhiyi, Sun Jihai and ‘when 300 million Chinese watched Crystal Palace’
Domestically, Zhang had been part of an all-conquering Dalian Shide team who dominated the top flight in the mid to late 1990s, also playing alongside fellow academy products Sun Jihai and Yang Ming.
In November 2000, Zhang left Dalian for English First Division side Grimsby Town.
The China skipper played 17 times and scored three goals for Lennie Lawrence’s side in what is now the Championship.
His performances saw him linked with a move to Crystal Palace, where fellow China internationals Fan Zhiyi and Sun Jihai played but he left Grimsby at the end of his loan and returned to Dalian as China prepared for the World Cup.
“A permanent deal was discussed but agreement was always unlikely as the defender was on a reported £10,000 a week during his spell – twice as much as any other player at the club,” wrote When Saturday Comes magazine in 2010 when they looked back on the Mariners’ cult hero.
Zhang was interviewed for the Grimsby Town matchday programme last year, where he reminisced on his introduction to English football, a 2-0 win over Norwich City at Blundell Park – Grimsby’s first win in nine games.
“The match was played in a traditional English style so players ran a lot, jumped a lot and even fought a lot! The ball was flying in the sky for most of the playing time!”
Zhang soon adapted and his goals helped keep the side up. He expressed his regret that he could not make the move to Grimsby permanent, though he told the programme that he had since visited with his son Gary, who was born in the town. The club expressed their condolences on Twitter.
“GTFC are saddened to hear of multiple reports from China announcing the passing of former Mariner Zhang Enhua at the age of 48. The former Chinese international signed for the club on loan in December 2000, making a total of 17 appearances. Rest In Peace, Zhang.”
Zhang also played for Chinese side Tianjin Teda before finishing his playing career with Hong Kong side South China in 2006.
He moved into coaching and his most recent job was with Chinese Super League side Shenzhen.
Reports said that Zhang passed away after celebrating his 48th birthday on Wednesday.
