Cao Tianbao (; Former name Cao Ming, born 3 April 1982 in Shenyang) is a Chinese football manager and former professional footballer who played as a striker.
Club career Tianbao started his professional football career with Changchun Yatai in 2001 after he graduated from their youth team. He gradually established himself within the Changchun squad as they fought for promotion to the top tier, eventually achieving this in the 2005 league season when they came second in the league.
Playing in the top tier, Cao found it difficult to start many games since the club brought in Elvis Scott and then Guillaume Dah Zadi as their main strikers within the club, nevertheless Cao found his role within the team as a prolific goalscorer coming off the bench and go on to win the league title in the 2007 season with the club.
It was only with the introduction of Li Shubin as the team's new manager did Cao Tianbao actually establish himself as the club's first-choice second striker within the team and help guide the club to a runners-up position at the end of the 2009 Chinese Super League season. When the club brought in Shen Xiangfu as their next manager, Cao found himself dropped from the starting line-up once more; however, this time when used as a substitute he wasn't able to find his goal scoring touch and was allowed to leave for second-tier club Shenzhen Phoenix at the beginning of the 2011 league season. At the club, he was reunited with Li Shubin and was given the number 14 shirt once again. He was released by Changchun at the end of 2014 season.亚泰瘦身一次性裁掉22人 曹添堡王万鹏等在列 at sina.com 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2015-02-10
In July 2015, Cao transferred to China League Two side Meizhou Kejia.广州仔唐德超加盟梅州五华 at sports.163.com Retrieved 2015-7-5 In March 2016, Cao transferred to fellow China League Two side Shenzhen Renren.【引援】深圳人人足球队2016赛新进队员曹添堡 at renren-fc.com Retrieved 2016-3-8
On 23 February 2017, Cao transferred to Chengdu Qbao.成都钱宝队宣布第四签 前亚泰悍将曹添堡加盟 at sports.qq.com Retrieved 2017-2-23 Despite finishing tenth out of twenty-four teams, the club withdrew from the League before the 2018 season when its owner was under investigation for an illegal fund-raising scandal.中乙|新赛季准入名单：成都钱宝无缘 四川将上演德比 at people.com.cn 2018-03-02 Retrieved 2018-03-02 On 20 March 2018, Chengdu Better City was established on its ashes,从头再来!成都兴城足球俱乐部正式成立 盼5年冲超 sina.com 2018-03-20 Retrieved 2018-06-07 and Cao remained in its squad as they played within the fourth tier and immediately gained successive promotions.China 2019 > China League Two at rsssf.org 2020-10-15 Retrieved 2021-05-20 On 26 March 2021, the contract Cao had with Chengdu would expire, and he joined second-tier football club Sichuan Minzu on a free transfer.离队公告丨感谢曹添堡、何杨，成都是你们永远的家 at dongqiudi.net 2021-01-16 Retrieved 2021-05-20
International career Cao was called up for the first time to the Chinese national team by his former coach Gao Hongbo who gave Cao his international debut in a friendly against Iran in a 1–0 win on 1 June 2009.
Career statistics . + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsChangchun Yatai2001Chinese Jia-B League0000--0020020000--00200326400--2642004China League One25800--258200523800--2382006Chinese Super League23900--2392007182---1822008249-40-2492009277---2772010110-50-160201226320--283201326110--271201424200--242Total2535330900026553Mianyang F.C. (loan)2001Chinese Jia-B League8100--81Shenzhen Phoenix (loan) 2011China League One25400--254Meizhou Kejia 2015China League Two11600--116Shenzhen Renren 201618610--196Chengdu Qbao 201719400--1942018Chinese Champions League------2019China League Two27510--2852020China League One1000--10Total479100000489 Career total3627950900037679
Honours Club Changchun Yatai Chinese Super League: 2007 Chinese Jia-B League: 2003
Meizhou Kejia China League Two: 2015
References
External links
Player profile at sports.163.com (Chinese) Player stats at Sohu.com (Chinese)