Lee Jung-soo (Korean: 이정수; born 8 January 1980) is a South Korean former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

Lee Jung-soo
Lee with Al-Sadd in 2011
Personal information
Full name Lee Jung-soo
Date of birth (1980-01-08) 8 January 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Gimhae, Gyeongnam, South Korea
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2001 Kyung Hee University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 FC Seoul 29 (2)
2004–2005 Incheon United 20 (1)
2006–2008 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 46 (3)
2009 Kyoto Sanga 32 (5)
2010 Kashima Antlers 10 (3)
2010–2015 Al-Sadd 112 (10)
2016–2017 Suwon Samsung Bluewings 30 (3)
2018 Charlotte Independence 13 (0)
Total 292 (27)
International career
1998 South Korea U20 2 (0)
2001 South Korea B
2008–2013 South Korea 54 (5)
Medal record
Representing  South Korea
Men's football
AFC Asian Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Qatar Team
AFC Youth Championship
Gold medal – first place 1998 Thailand Team
EAFF Championship
Silver medal – second place 2010 Japan Team
East Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2001 Osaka Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 October 2018
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 February 2013
Lee Jung-soo
Hangul
이정수
Hanja
李正秀
Revised RomanizationI Jeong-su
McCune–ReischauerI Chŏngsu

Club career

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Career in South Korea

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After graduating from Kyung Hee University in 2002, Lee started his professional career at a K League club Anyang LG Cheetahs. (renamed FC Seoul since 2004) He was originally a forward, but Anyang's manager Cho Kwang-rae advised him to change his role to a defender.[2] He played for Anyang LG Cheetahs/FC Seoul, Incheon United, and Suwon Samsung Bluewings as a defender in the K League, and won a league title with Suwon in 2008.

Career in Japan

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In 2009, Lee joined J1 League side Kyoto Sanga FC. He scored five goals in the 2009 season, showing his scoring ability. Lee also participated in the Jomo Cup, contested between K League and J.League all-star team, and was named the MVP of the game. Lee joined another J1 League club Kashima Antlers the next year, playing for it for half a year. He transferred to a Qatari club Al-Sadd after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[3]

Al-Sadd

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In the 2011 AFC Champions League semi-final first leg against his former club Suwon, Lee was involved in a heated argument with Al-Sadd teammates following Mamadou Niang's controversial second goal, which was scored after Suwon claimed to have put the ball out to allow treatment to injured players, thus inferring possession should have been returned to the Korean club. Lee said that the goal was "unfair" and suggested Al-Sadd should give a goal back although the idea was rejected. The situation prompted Lee to walk off the pitch requiring his manager Jorge Fossati to substitute him with Ibrahim Majid for the remainder of additional time.[4]

Al-Sadd won the AFC Champions League final against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on penalties. Lee was chosen to take a penalty but his shot hit the crossbar, making him the only Al-Sadd player to miss in the penalty shootout.[5]

In June 2012, a Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande confirmed their interest in signing Lee and, according to the Jinghua Times, claimed that they signed him following his contract rejection from Al-Sadd.[6] However, Lee rejected the Guangzhou's offer and signed a one-year extension with Al-Sadd.[7]

Retirement

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In the 2015–16 season, Lee suffered hand and calf injury, and Al-Sadd showed a poor defence due to his absence. His team needed a new centre-back to replace him, and offered him a job as a coach instead. However, he wanted to continue his playing career, courteously declining it.[8] After leaving Al-Sadd in January 2016, he rejoined Suwon the next month, and announced his retirement the next year.

In February 2018, Lee joined Charlotte Independence of the United Soccer League unexpectedly.[9] He started his coaching career after playing for Charlotte for a while.

International career

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Lee was one of South Korea's major contributors when his country reached the knockout stage in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He largely helped South Korea's attack by scoring two set-piece goals in the group stage.

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[10]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FC Seoul 2002 K League 9 1 0 0 2 0 ? ? 11 1
2003 K League 18 1 1 0 19 1
2004 K League 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Total 29 2 1 0 2 0 ? ? 32 2
Incheon United 2004 K League 11 0 1 0 9 0 21 0
2005 K League 9 1 0 0 8 0 17 1
Total 20 1 1 0 17 0 38 1
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2006 K League 23 2 2 0 13 0 38 2
2007 K League 6 0 0 0 4 0 10 0
2008 K League 17 1 1 0 7 0 25 1
Total 46 3 3 0 24 0 73 3
Kyoto Sanga 2009 J1 League 32 5 ? ? 1 0 33 5
Kashima Antlers 2010 J1 League 10 3 ? ? 0 0 5 1 1[a] 0 16 4
Al-Sadd 2010–11 Qatar Stars League 19 2 ? ? ? ? 5 2 24 4
2011–12 Qatar Stars League 15 1 ? ? ? ? 7 0 3[b] 0 25 1
2012–13 Qatar Stars League 21 2 ? ? ? ? ? ? 21 2
2013–14 Qatar Stars League 22 2 ? ? 4[c] 0 8 0 ? ? 34 2
2014–15 Qatar Stars League 24 2 ? ? ? ? 12 0 ? ? 36 2
2015–16 Qatar Stars League 11 1 ? ? ? ? 0 0 11 1
Total 112 10 ? ? 4 0 32 2 3 0 151 12
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2016 K League 1 27 3 4 0 0 0 31 3
2017 K League 1 3 0 ? ? 2 0 5 0
Total 30 3 4 0 2 0 36 3
Charlotte Independence 2018 United Soccer League 13 0 ? ? 13 0
Career total 292 27 9 0 48 0 39 3 4 0 392 30
  1. ^ Appearance in Japanese Super Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in Qatari Stars Cup

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[11]
National team Year Apps Goals
South Korea 2008 5 0
2009 11 1
2010 17 3
2011 14 1
2012 6 0
2013 1 0
Career total 54 5
Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Lee Jung-soo
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 5 September 2009 Seoul, South Korea   Australia 2–0 3–1 Friendly
2 18 January 2010 Málaga, Spain   Finland 2–0 2–0 Friendly
3 12 June 2010 Port Elizabeth, South Africa   Greece 1–0 2–0 2010 FIFA World Cup
4 22 June 2010 Durban, South Africa   Nigeria 1–1 2–2 2010 FIFA World Cup
5 25 March 2011 Seoul, South Korea   Honduras 1–0 4–0 Friendly

Honours

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Suwon Samsung Bluewings

Kashima Antlers

Al-Sadd

South Korea U20

South Korea B

South Korea

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2011 presented by Toyota: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 December 2011. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2012.
  2. ^ <월드컵> 골 넣는 수비수 이정수 '또 한 건'(종합) (in Korean). 23 June 2010.
  3. ^ "South Korea International Lee Jung-Soo Set To Join Al Sadd – Report". Goal. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Fossati empathises with Lee". AFC. 21 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Qatar's al-Sadd wins Asian Champions League on penalties". Al Arabiya. 6 November 2011.
  6. ^ "Guangzhou Evergrande reaches agreement with South Korea international Lee Jung-Soo – report". Goal. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Guangzhou Evergrande target Lee Jung-Soo pens new Al Sadd deal". Goal. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  8. ^ [단독인터뷰]알 사드와 이별 이정수 "나는 현역을, 구단은 코치를 원했다" (in Korean). JTBC. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  9. ^ Thomas, James (15 February 2018). "World Cup, K League Veteran Joins Independence". Charlotte Independence. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  10. ^ Lee Jung-soo at Soccerway
  11. ^ Lee Jung-soo at National-Football-Teams.com
  12. ^ Di Maggio, Roberto; Garin, Erik; Jönsson, Mikael; Morrison, Neil; Stokkermans, Karel (22 November 2018). "Asian U-19/U-20 Championship". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  13. ^ Morrison, Neil (20 December 2019). "East Asian Games". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Asian Nations Cup 2011". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  15. ^ Stokkermans, Karel (20 December 2019). "East Asian Championship". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  16. ^ "JOMO CUP 2008" (in Japanese). J.League Data Site. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  17. ^ 조모컵 2009 MVP 이정수 (in Korean). No Cut News. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  18. ^ "JOMO CUP 2009" (in Japanese). J.League Data Site. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
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