{{short description|Chinese footballer}} {{family name hatnote|Cheng|lang=Chinese}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Cheng Liang <br> 成亮 | image = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1977|3|3}} | birth_place = Shanghai, China | height = 1.88 m | position = Left-back | currentclub = | youthyears1 = 1995–1997 | youthclubs1 = Shanghai Shenhua | years1 = 1998–2004 | clubs1 = Shanghai Pudong | caps1 = 88 | goals1 = 7 | years2 = 2005–2012 | clubs2 = Shanghai Shenhua | caps2 = 101 | goals2 = 8 | years3 = 2010 | clubs3 = → Shenzhen Ruby | caps3 = 6 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2016–2017 | clubs4 = Shanghai Sunfun | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2009 | nationalteam1 = China | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | manageryears1 = 2016–2017 | managerclubs1 = Shanghai Sunfun | manageryears2 = 2018 | managerclubs2 = Sichuan Jiuniu | manageryears3 = 2019 | managerclubs3 = Yunnan Kunlu | manageryears4 = 2020–2022 | managerclubs4 = Qingdao FC (assistant) | manageryears5 = 2021–2022 | managerclubs5 = China Women (assistant) | manageryears6 = 2026 | managerclubs6 = Shanxi Chongde Ronghai }}
'''Cheng Liang''' ({{lang-zh|c=成亮|p=Chéng Liàng}}; born 3 March 1977) is a Chinese football coach and former footballer who played as a defender for Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai Shenhua and Shenzhen Ruby. He made five appearances for the China national team.
==Club career==
===Shanghai Pudong=== Cheng was born in Shanghai. Originally starting his football career with the Shanghai Shenhua youth team, he found it difficult to break into the senior team where he was considered too weak and not fast enough to compete in the top tier. Leaving Shanghai Shenhua in 1997, Cheng instead joined second tier club Shanghai Pudong and eventually started his professional football career in the 1998 league season.<ref>{{NFT player|pid=31651|name=Chéng Liàng|accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref> After playing for Shanghai Pudong for several seasons he was part of the squad that won promotion to the top tier.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/china01.html |title=China 2001 |publisher=Rsssf.com |date= |accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref> After establishing his club as top tier regulars Cheng was part of the squad that came runners-up within the 2003 league season and soon saw him transfer back to top tier side Shanghai Shenhua at the beginning of the 2005 league season for 3 million yuan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2009-05-27/18024402513.shtml |title=讲述成亮足球路 落选健力宝曾发誓：国足请我也不去|publisher=Sports.sina.com.cn |date= 27 May 2009|accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref>
===Shanghai Shenhua=== In the 2005 league season, Cheng made his debut for Shanghai Shenhua against Qingdao Zhongneng on 2 April 2005 in a 2–0 win.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://csldata.sports.sohu.com/gameinfo.php?season=2005&gameid=A01003 |title=比赛结果 申花SVA2-0青岛中能 |publisher=Csldata.sports.sohu.com |date= 2 April 2005|accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref> He however found his time limited at left-back due to Sun Xiang being the first choice left back within the team. Cheng nevertheless established himself within the team because of his versatility to also play as a centre-back. From the beginning of the 2009 season, he took the captaincy and on 16 April, the club announced that he will also assume the role of assistant manager.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.shenhuafc.com.cn/news_detail.php?newsId=642 |title=申花官方宣布：队长成亮兼任助理教练|publisher=Shenhua fc |date= 16 April 2009|accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref> His role as an assistant did not last long and when Miroslav Blažević came in to manage the club at the beginning of the 2010 Chinese Super League season he brought his own assistants and during the summer transfer window Cheng was allowed to join Shenzhen Ruby on loan for the rest of the season as a player.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2010-06-29/18175078624.shtml |title=原申花队长成亮加盟深圳 李毅回归传闻不攻自破|publisher=Sports.sina.com.cn |date= 29 June 2010|accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref> When Cheng returned from his loan period he saw his playing time significantly reduced due to injury and his age limiting him to a single game throughout the season against Qingdao Jonoon on 3 November 2012 in the last league game of the season where Shenhua won 3–0 before he announced his retirement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2012/11/03/china-pr/csl/shanghai-shenhua/qingdao-jonoon/1268291/ |title=Shanghai Shenhua vs. Qingdao Jonoon 3-0|website=Soccerway |date= 3 November 2012|accessdate=28 November 2012}}</ref>
==Coaching career== On 2 February 2026, Cheng was named as the head coach of China League Two club Shanxi Chongde Ronghai.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dongqiudi.com/article/5646056.html|title=官方：申花旧将、四川九牛前主帅成亮担任山西崇德荣海新帅|website=dongqiudi|date=2 February 2026|accessdate=24 March 2026}}</ref> On 7 April 2026, Cheng left his position due to family issue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dongqiudi.com/article/5763236.html|title=山西崇德荣海官方：主帅成亮因个人家庭原因离任|website=dongqiudi|date=7 April 2026|accessdate=16 April 2026}}</ref>
==International career== Despite already being 32 years old Cheng was to make his international debut against Germany on 29 May 2009, in an impressive 1-1 friendly that saw him play as a centre-back.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=266284&cc=5739 |title=Podolski denies China victory |publisher=Espnsoccernet |date=29 May 2009 |accessdate=9 April 2012 |archive-date=15 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015113759/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=266284&cc=5739 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He continued to play as a centre-back for China's following friendly against Saudi Arabia on 4 June 2009 where China lost 4–1.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://teamchina.freehostia.com/en/match.php?date=2009-06-04 |title=Saudi Arabia 4-1 China|publisher=Teamchina.freehostia.com |date= 4 June 2009 |accessdate=9 April 2012}}</ref> Despite the defeat Cheng continued to be included in several further squads to add experience towards the team.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{NFT player|31651}} *{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612184201/http://scripts.sportscn.com:80/center/program/man.php?id=3104 |date=12 June 2010 |title=Profile at SportsCN.com}} *[http://www.shenhuafc.com.cn/chiefMember.htm Profile at Shanghai Shenhua] {{in lang|zh}} *[http://www.hudong.com/wiki/%E6%88%90%E4%BA%AE Profile at Hudong.com]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheng, Liang}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Chinese sportsmen Category:Chinese men's footballers Category:Footballers from Shanghai Category:Men's association football full-backs Category:China men's international footballers Category:Chinese Super League players Category:Beijing Chengfeng F.C. players Category:Shanghai Shenhua F.C. players Category:Shenzhen F.C. players Category:Shenzhen Peng City F.C. managers