Xu Deshuai (; born 13 July 1987) is a former professional footballer who played as a winger. Born in China, he represented Hong Kong on the international level. He was a member of the Hong Kong East Asian Games football team in 2009 who won the East Asian Games gold medal.
Xu wears number 8 for China U-19, Citizen, Hong Kong, Hong Kong U-23, South China and Pegasus. Because of this, Hong Kong football fans commonly use Xu 8 as a nickname for him.
Early life Xu was born on in Dalian, China. He is the only child in his family. 国援的救赎, Titan Football Weekly, 9 December 2010 His mother was a primary school teacher but Xu hated to study. Thus, he left school after secondary education in Dalian to switch to Dalian Shide's youth academy under his mother's oppositional idea. 開朗帥哥孤身尋夢 , Ming Pao, 6 March 2010 His mother abandoned interference after the school teacher had told her that Xu has potential in football, so her mother support his football career very much after that.
Club career
Dalian Shide Xu began his football career at Dalian with Dalian Shide's youth academy. His potential was quickly identified by the First team in 2004. 实德弃将力助香港血洗韩国 真金终有闪光之日, Tencent, 4 December 2009 For Xu's first senior season in China, he was only named in the substitutes list for two matches and made no appearances. The two games he was listed on the substitutes list were in November 2004; the match against Shanghai Shenhua on 11 November, and against Tianjin Teda on 24 November. 球员资料-中超数据库-徐德帅(Xu Deshuai), Sohu He was sent to the field in the match, which held on 11 November, on the 91st-minute. 实德小青年捍卫了尊严 1:0"摘下"上海申花, Sina, 12 November 2004 He came off the bench at the last moment of the game so the report did not show that. 张耀坤唐田遭实德封杀？ 林乐丰：是战术需要, Sina, 12 November 2004
Since Dalian Shide and Citizen organised a project, Dalian Shide sent some youth players to Citizen. In 2005, Xu was sent to Hong Kong, with other teammates such as Chao Pengfei and Ju Yingzhi. 大連五虎, Citizen, 15 September 2007
He was called up by Dalian Shide U19 for the 2006 China U19 Champions Cup, and the team won the championship. 实德预备队点球大战胜鲁能 勇夺全国U19优胜者杯冠军, Sina, 18 September 2006 After the tournament, he returned to Hong Kong side Citizen again with Wang Xuanhong.
Citizen Xu made his debut in Hong Kong in the 2005–06 season. His first domestic league match was on 15 October against Kitchee.Match Results: 2005–06 Coolpoint Ventilation First Division League, Hong Kong Football Association, 29 April 2006 He came on in the 71st-minute as a substitute for So Yiu Man in a 3–0 away defeat. He expressed disappointment about always being used as a substitute. 港隊國援﹕曾被邀打假波 堅持不為五斗米折腰 , Ming Pao, 4 May 2009 He went back to Dalian over the summer where he made five appearances.
In the 2007–08 season, Xu established himself as a regular first-team player, making 15 appearances in 18 league matches.Match Results: 2007–08 Coolpoint Ventilation First Division League, Hong Kong Football Association, 27 April 2008 He helped Citizen to win the 2007–08 Hong Kong FA Cup; during which he appeared in every game.Fixtures – FA Cup: 2007–08, Hong Kong Football Association, 18 May 2008 This was the first top-level domestic cup won by Citizen since the club's founding in 1947. This earned him an official transfer to Citizen in the summer of 2008.
Xu was appointed as one of the vice-captains of Citizen in 2008. He started two matches as captain in the 2008–09 season.Match Results: 2008–09 Coolpoint Ventilation First Division League, Hong Kong Football Association, 10 May 2009 Xu scored both his first and second senior career goal in the match against Hong Kong Sheffield United on 2 May 2009. He finished the season with 7 goals in 23 matches. He was named 2009 Hong Kong Top Footballers of the Year.HKFA Hong Kong Top Footballer Award, Hong Kong Football Association, 12 June 2009
Despite many transfer rumours regarding Xu in the winter of 2009, Citizen football department director Pui Ho Wang said that Xu is a "not-for-sale item" at the club. 公民烏龍飲恨 天水圍晉級 , Ta Kung Pao, 27 December 2009
In a Senior Shield match on Boxing Day in 2009, Xu and Fung Kai Hong verbally abused the referee Gary Wong Po On after a controversial decision. 2010/1/13 – 試腳和停賽, Citizen, 13 January 2010 He was subsequently banned for four club matches from 12 January 2010.2009/10 10th Disciplinary Task Force Meeting, Hong Kong Football Association, 12 January 2010 Xu returned in the league match against Sun Hei on 12 March 2010, coming on as a substitute at the 64th-minute for Citizen teammate Wong Yiu Fu and scored a goal during second half injury time.Match Results: bma 1st Division Football League – Sun Hei 0:3 Citizen, Hong Kong Football Association, 12 March 2010
Xu was named Hong Kong Top Footballers of the Year again after the 2009–10 season. adidas 09/10香港足球明星選舉, Hong Kong Football Association, 6 June 2010 In the ceremony, chairman of South China Steven Lo said Xu became a member of his team in the 2010–11 season. 徐德帥「上山」後爭逐正選 , Ta Kung Pao, 3 June 2010
South China
2010–11
Xu signed with South China on 1 June 2010 since he believed it is a suitable time for him to start a new career in a big club like South China at 22 years of age. 陳肇麒加冕港足先生 徐德帥得獎後投南華 , Ming Pao, 3 June 2010Defiant South China eye continental glory, Asian Football Confederation, 19 August 2010 He want to get more honours in South China and he takes the AFC Cup as his first target in club. His first official match for South China was a league match on 4 September 2010.bma 1st Division Football League – Match Results, Hong Kong Football Association, 4 September 2010 Xu was the starting player in the game as South China inflicted a 2–0 defeat over his former club Citizen.
The league match against Sun Hei on 18 September 2010 is the 100th official match of Xu's career. In the match, he took a corner kick which was converted into the first goal by Chan Siu Ki. bma甲組聯賽 南華 2:1 晨曦, Hong Kong Football Association, 18 September 2010 In the end, South China defeated Sun Hei by 2–1 and moved to the top of league table. 南華二比一擊敗晨曦兩戰全勝排榜首 , Commercial Radio Hong Kong, 18 September 2010
After the 2010 Asian Games, Xu returned to the club but he played in a new role deep-lying playmaker to spare the right-winger position for Lee Wai Lim. In the league match against Kitchee on 11 December 2010, Xu was sent off for a challenge on Jordi Tarrés. 「少林寺」遭傑志破金身 , Sing Tao Daily, 12 December 2010 South China lost the game by 3–4 and suffered its first defeat of the 2010–11 season. Xu was blamed by the fans after the match.
2010–11 Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield semi-final matches held at Christmas in 2010 and one of two is the first game of Xu after suspension. He was the starting player of the team in the semi-final match against Sun Hei.Match Results: Canbo Senior Shield – South China 3:0 NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po, Hong Kong Football Association, 25 December 2010 He delivered a corner to Bai He at 51 minutes and Bai He headed in the goal. 康寶高級組銀牌準決賽 南華 3:0 新界地產和富大埔, Hong Kong Football Association, 25 December 2010 South China advanced to the final after the 3–0 victory.
In a League Cup quarter-final match on 9 January 2011, Xu scored in the 10th minute by a pass from Lau Nim Yat. Unluckily, Xu was injured and substituted at the 42-minute.Match Results: League Cup – Tuen Mum 1:4 South China, Hong Kong Football Association, 9 January 2011 So, he missed the final of Senior Challenge Shield. 近7屆無衞冕冠軍 公民誓阻南華冧莊, Oriental Daily News, 16 January 2011 Furthermore, South China lost the final by penalty shootout to his former club Citizen. 公民奇蹟反勝捧銀牌 落後3球打少兩個 互射12碼贏南華, Ming Pao, 17 January 2011
Two months later, Xu made his league debut after injury on 31 March in a 3–1 defeat to former club Citizen. 挫飛馬捧盃南華「返晒嚟」 , Ming Pao, 28 March 2011 留力撼傑志 南華今副選鬥公民, Ming Pao, 31 March 2011 In the match, Xu scored at the 78-minute after coming on as a substitute just 7 minutes before.Match Results on 31 March, Hong Kong Football Association, 31 March 2011 Caretaker coach of South China Chan Ho Yin said Xu's recovery could raise the competitiveness of the team and it was a piece of good news before Hong Kong derby. However, South China lost the derby by 2 goals on 3 April even though Xu came on the field at the 32-minute.Match Results: bma 1st Division Football League – Kitchee 2:0 South China, Hong Kong Football Association, 3 April 2011
South China has won League Cup and FA Cup in the season, but failed in 2012 AFC Cup qualifying. 臨別入波基士文助南華捧盃, Oriental Daily News, 30 May 2011 Xu played over 800 minutes in league match, less than last season in Citizen, and scored 4 goals.
2011–12 New coach Ján Kocian appointed Xu as a box-to-box midfielder and played as one of playmakers with captain Li Haiqiang but he could not have a good performance. 低調南華 高調揭幕 今主場撼屯門, Ming Pao, 10 September 2011 南華負屯門出閘脫腳, Ming Pao, 11 September 2011 After a downturn of South China, Xu returned to play as a right winger and he scored in the shield match which defeated Sham Shui Po. Ironically, Xu had a mistake which cause Fong Pak Lun scored at the 78-minute in this game. 康寶高級組銀牌半準決賽次回合 南華 2:1 深水埗 (總比數 3:2), Hong Kong Football Association, 24 November 2011 In a league game against Tai Po on 3 December 2011, Xu scored by an assist made by Chan Siu Ki and made an assist for Chan Siu Ki. It led South China to win the game by 3 goals. 南華破大埔 羅傑承 前線只打陳肇麒, Ming Pao, 4 December 2011
In Lunar New Year, South China held a friendly four-team mid-season tournament 2012 Asian Challenge Cup and Xu played both the semi-final and third-place match in the event. However, South China got the fourth place. 贺岁杯-压哨球逆败局 富力4–2点杀南华获季军, Tencent, 2 January 2012
In the following days of the season, South China was eliminated in 2011–12 Hong Kong League Cup and 2011–12 Hong Kong FA Cup, also by Kitchee.Match Results: Halewinner League Cup – South China 1:4 Kitchee, Hong Kong Football Association, 10 March 2011 傑志半力挫南華闖4強 , Sing Pao, 29 April 2012 For the 2011–12 Hong Kong First Division League, Xu finished his second season with South China as 3rd place in the league and failed in 2013 AFC Cup qualifying again. 港甲戰報 南華逼和公民第3名收咧, Now TV, 19 May 2012 As the result, Xu left from South China after the season.
Pegasus
TSW Pegasus reformed after the 2011–12 season and was renamed as Sun Pegasus. Xu had agreed terms with the Pegasus for his transfer and the coach Chan Chi Hong claimed that Xu would be a leader of the team even though he is just a young player. , Headline Daily, 27 August 2012
In the team, Xu had more opportunities in his habitual position, the right midfield, so his performance became better much. 徐德帥領飛馬強攻大埔 , Ming Pao, 6 April 2013 However, Pegasus ranked the 8th in the league table of the first division after week 9, the mid of the season. Xu scored the 1–1 equaliser in a league match against Southern on 19 January 2013 and earned a valuable point in their race to once again escape from First Division League relegation. 港甲戰報 飛馬1：1逼和南區險搶1分, Now TV, 19 January 2013 Pegasus made consecutive games undefeated after this match. 港甲預告 飛馬搶分「公」得起, Now TV, 12 April 2013
Before the New Territories derby in FA Cup against Tai Po, some media in Hong Kong believe Xu would be the Pegasus's key to winning the match. As expected, Xu scored the only goal in the 77th minute of the 1st leg FA Cup match. 足總盃戰報 飛馬首回合1球小勝大埔, Now TV, 6 April 2013 Pegasus finally beat Tai Po and advanced to the final of the FA Cup.
Kitchee Xu joined Kitchee from fellow First Division club Pegasus for an undisclosed fee on 30 May 2013, since Kitchee qualified for 2013 AFC Cup quarter-finals and the team would strengthen their squad with local player. 東尼 本地體壇 傑志加強 華人班底 , Metropolis Daily, 30 May 2013
Eastern Xu joined Eastern in the summer of 2015.
On 1 June 2020, Xu left when his contract expired with the club and subsequently he retired from professional football.
International career
China U-19