Liu Zhenli started his professional football career at the beginning of the 2004 Chinese Super League season after graduating from the youth team. The following season, he would play understudy to Li Shuai who was injured near the end of the season, which allowed Liu to make his league debut on October 22, 2005, against Tianjin Teda F.C. in a 2–0 defeat.[1] The following season, he would fight for the goalkeeping position with Li Shuai before eventually cementing himself as the first choice goalkeeper at the club in the beginning of the 2007 Chinese Super League season.
His impressive performances at the end of the 2007 season saw him called into the Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament squad where he was second choice goalkeeper. At the tournament he played in the final group game against Brazil which China lost 3–0 as they were knocked out in the group stages.[3]