| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 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 | |||
| –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) | |||
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.
Born in Kashgar, Xinjiang, trained in Xi'an, Shaanxi, Afrden 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] Afrden went on to represent the China under-19 and under-20 teams in the China League Two in 2020 and 2021.[2][3]
While also representing the China under-20 select in League Two, Afrden also played for Suzhou Dongwu in League One, again on loan from Guangzhou.[2]
In March 2023, Afrden signd for Allsvenskan club Mjällby AIF on loan for the 2023 season with the option to make the move permanent.[4]
Afrden's outstanding performance in the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup captaining for China drew widespread media attention.[5] However, reports emerged that Afrden may have altered his age in the past. Accordingly, bone age reports published by the Chinese FA in 2012 showed a youth player by Afrden's same name with birthday of 2 May 2000. Bone age reports in 2014 showed another player with Afrden's name having been born on 28 January 2001. The same series of report in 2015 again showed a player with Afrden'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. Afrden rejected the allegations on 11 March 2023.[7]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Guangzhou | 2020 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| China U19 (loan) | 2020 | China League Two | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | |
| China U20 (loan) | 2021 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Suzhou Dongwu (loan) | 2021 | China League One | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
| Career total | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 5 | ||