BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Beijing Guoan announced on Tuesday that its defender Yu Dabao will quit playing as a first-team player and become a football academy coach in the 2025 season.

"Yu Dabao's contract with Beijing Guoan club has expired," the Beijing club said in a statement.

"After consultation with the club, Dabao will end his career as a first-team player," the statement read.

"Despite quitting the first team, Dabao will not leave Beijing Guoan. He will continue to work for the club as a coach at the football academy of Beijing Guoan from the 2025 season," the statement added.

Yu, who joined the Beijing club in 2015, made 229 appearances in the following ten seasons, scoring 27 goals and producing 21 assists. ■