John Hou Sæter

In this Chinese name, the family name is Hou.

Hou Yongyong

Personal information
Full name	Hou Yongyong
Birth name	John Hou Sæter
Date of birth	(1998-01-13) 13 January 1998 (age 26)
Place of birth	Trondheim, Norway
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Ranheim
Number	10
Youth career
2007–2012	IL Trond
2013–2017	Rosenborg
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2017	Rosenborg	4	(0)
2016	→ Ranheim (loan)	9	(3)
2017–2019	Stabæk	32	(1)
2019–2022	Beijing Guoan	25	(3)
2023–	Ranheim	29	(11)
International career^‡
2013–2014	Norway U16	23	(8)
2014–2015	Norway U17	8	(3)
2014–2016	Norway U18	10	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 December 2019

Hou Yongyong (Chinese: 侯永永; pinyin: Hóu Yǒngyǒng; born 13 January 1998), born John Hou Sæter, is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Norwegian First Division club Ranheim. Sæter has represented Norway at several youth levels; however, he was naturalised as a Chinese citizen in 2019.

Club career

Early career

John Hou Sæter started his football career when he joined Rosenborg's youth academy in 2013. He made his debut for the club on 24 April 2014 in a 3–0 win against Orkla FK in the 2014 Norwegian Football Cup, becoming the youngest player ever to make his debut for Rosenborg aged 16 years and 101 days. He made his league debut on 28 September 2014 in a 3–0 win against Aalesund, coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute. He became the youngest player ever to make his league debut for the club aged 16 years and 258 days.^[1]

In August 2016, Hou Sæter signed a new two-year contract with Rosenborg before being loaned to Norwegian First Division side Ranheim until the end of the 2016 season.^[2] In July 2017, Hou Sæter transferred to fellow Tippeligaen side Stabæk.^[3]

Beijing Guoan

In January 2019, Hou Sæter obtained Chinese citizenship and joined Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan.^[4] He made his debut for the club on 23 February 2019 in a 2–0 loss against Shanghai SIPG in the 2019 Chinese FA Super Cup, coming on as a substitute for Chi Zhongguo in the 71st minute. This made Hou Sæter the first naturalised Chinese player in China's professional leagues.^[5] On 29 May 2019, Hou scored his first goal for Guoan in a 3-1 home win against Changchun Yatai in a Chinese FA Cup fifth round match.

On 12 August 2020, Hou scored his first Chinese Super League goal in a 3-1 win against Hebei China Fortune.

Hou Sæter left the club at the end of the 2022 season and returned to Ranheim, after his contract with Guoan had ended.^[6]

Personal life

Born to a Norwegian father and a Chinese mother from Luoyang, Henan, Hou Sæter's Chinese name is Hou Yongyong.^[7]

When Hou Sæter was 10 years old, he participated in an international football competition arranged by Manchester United. He was chosen as one of 37 from a group of about 20,000 participants to come attend the finale in Manchester. He finished second in the competition and received an award from Bobby Charlton, only beaten by a boy who was a year older than him.^[8][9]

Career statistics

As of 23 June 2024.^[10]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rosenborg	2014	Tippeligaen	1	0	1	0	–		–		2	0
	2015		3	0	4	0	3	0	–		10	0
	Total		4	0	5	0	3	0	–		12	0
Ranheim (loan)	2016	Norwegian First Division	9	3	0	0	–		–		9	3
Stabæk	2017	Eliteserien	9	1	2	1	–		–		11	2
	2018		23	0	2	0	–		–		25	0
	Total		32	1	4	1	–		–		36	2
Beijing Guoan	2019	Chinese Super League	16	1	2	1	0	0	1[a]	0	19	2
	2020		8	2	0	0	0	0	–		8	2
	2021		0	0	0	0	0	0	–		0	0
	2022		1	0	0	0	0	0	–		1	0
	Total		25	3	2	1	0	0	1	0	28	4
Ranheim	2023	OBOS-ligaen	15	1	0	0	–		–		15	1
	2024		14	10	2	0	–		–		16	10
	Total		29	11	2	0	–		–		31	11
Career total			99	18	13	2	3	0	1	0	116	20

1. Appearances in Chinese FA Super Cup

Honours

Rosenborg

• Tippeligaen: 2015
• Norwegian Football Cup: 2015

See also

• List of Chinese naturalized footballers

References

1. "Nyheter | Rosenborg". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
2. "Nyheter | Rosenborg". Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
3. "Sæter solgt til Stabæk".
4. "中赫国安官宣三人加盟 侯永永邹德海李可来投" (in Chinese). 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
5. "创造历史!归化球员登上中国足球舞台 侯永永亮相". Sina Sports (in Chinese). 23 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
6. Eriksen, Fredrik R (1 February 2023). "- Har savnet kulteren og klubben". Ranheim (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 1 February 2023.
7. 独家重磅!国安引归化球员取实质进展 签2人创历史. Sina. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
8. Chronicle, Evening (5 November 2008). "Tyneside lad makes world football camp final".
9. "John (10) hylles av Sir Bobby | byavisa.no | Tar deg tettere på Trondheim". Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
10. John Hou Sæter at Soccerway

External links

• Profile at RBK.no (archived 21 February 2015)