Sun sets on Chinese trailblazer

BEIJING - Former Manchester City defender Sun Jihai, one of the first Chinese footballers to play in the English Premier League, has announced his retirement from the sport. «Today I am retiring, bidding farewell to 22 years of campaigning on the football pitch,» the 39-year-old wrote in a statement posted on his verified Weibo social media account over the weekend. A pioneer for his country, Sun›s first foray into English football came in 1998, when he signed for Crystal Palace with countryman Fan Zhiyi, together becoming the first Chinese players in the English leagues. He was recalled the following year by Dalian Shide, but signed with Manchester City in February 2002. After six years with City he joined Sheffield United in 2008, but opted to return to China the following year after missing his family.