Zhang Banglun

Zhang Banglun was born in the Songjiang district of Shanghai, where he attended Shanghai Nanyang Middle School, and in 1937 graduated from the Advanced Vocational School for Applied Chemistry. Subsequently, he studied biochemistry at the Hujiang University to become a pharmacist and worked in the sales department of the Shanghai Xinyi Pharmaceutical Factory. For many fans, Zhang Banglun became an idol not only because of his football skills but also of his elegant demeanor.

Zhang Banglun started playing for Shanghai’s Tung Hwa team as a defender in 1939, but soon changing changed his position to goalkeeper. He played on this position for Tung Hwa from 1942-51, winning the championship of Shanghai First Division Football League several times. Selected into the Shanghai team, Zhang saved a penalty by the famous Li Huitang in the final of the 1947 Shanghai-Hong Kong Cup. His outstanding performance earned him the title “No. 1 Iron Gate of the Far East”. As China’s top goalkeeper in the 1940s, Zhang Banglun was selected into onto the Chinese team at the 1948 London Olympics. He was also appointed goalkeeper at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and first flag raiser for the People’s Republic of China in the Olympic Village. The team, however, arrived late and failed to compete in the Olympics but played some friendlies instead. Domestically, Zhang joined the East China Football Team, which was runner-up in the People’s Republic first national football tournament in 1951. He retired from top level football after the 1952 Olympics but and went on to serve as a player-coach for local Shanghai teams. Zhang wrote a number of books on local football history and was appointed as a member of the Shanghai Football Association after retirement.