As a player, he was a striker who represented Tianjin Locomotive, Beijing Guoan, Shaanxi Chanba and Shenzhen Kingway whom he won the 2004 Chinese Super League with.

At Shenzhen Pingan Li Yi would quickly establish himself with the team and at the end of the 2000 football league season he would score 9 goals from 21 appearances.

[2] Within the tournament unconfirmed comments on the internet about Li claiming his ball shielding is similar and comparable to FIFA World Cup winner Thierry Henry, made him a target for much criticism from home fans.

Viewing his off-field comments as pretentious he earned a nickname Imperator Li Yi the Great, and eventually became an Internet meme among Chinese netizens.

He did mention Thierry Henry after a 2005 AFC Champions League group stage match which Shenzhen beat Suwon Samsung Bluewings 1–0 at home.

[4] Li Yi would eventually follow these players by transferring to fellow top tier club Shaanxi Chanba at the beginning of the 2007 season.

Li Yi received his first senior international call-up in 1999 by Chinese manager Bob Houghton while playing for Beijing Guoan, however he did not make his debut under him.