Choi Yong-soo


Choi Yong-soo is a professional football manager and former player. He spent his professional career playing in Korea and Japan as a striker. Choi played for Anyang LG Cheetahs, now renamed FC Seoul, in South Korea's K League and other various clubs in Japan's J1 League. Choi represented South Korea at the 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship, 1996 Summer Olympics, 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Managerial career

Choi was appointed as assistant coach of FC Seoul in August 2006. In April 2011, he was promoted as the caretaker coach. After leading club to a fifth place, he was named as club's permanent coach in December 2012 and won 2012 K League. In 2013, Choi led the club to the final of the 2013 AFC Champions League. They drew all two matches of the final against the chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande but didn't get the title due to the away goals rule. Choi was named the AFC Coach of the Year.
On 21 June 2016, he was officially appointed as a manager of the chinese club Jiangsu Suning. He finished as runner-up in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese FA Cup. On 1 June 2017, he officially resigned Jiangsu Suning manager.
On 11 October 2018, Choi was officially reappointed as FC Seoul manager. On 9 December 2018, Choi won the K League playoffs against Busan IPark, successfully keeping FC Seoul in the K League.

Personal life

He divorced his wife in November 2006 after a 15-month-long marriage. His former wife, a one-time contestant in a Miss Korea pageant, went through the legal procedures to take half the estate properties under Choi's name per their prenuptial agreement.

Career statistics

Club

International

Source:

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1
January 31, 1995Hong Kong1 goal1–01995 Carlsberg Cup
3
May 28, 1997Daejeon, South Korea2 goals4–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
4
June 14, 1997Suwon, South Korea1 goal3–01997 Korea Cup
5
August 24, 1997Daegu, South Korea1 goal4–1Friendly match
8
September 6, 1997Seoul, South Korea3 goals3–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
9
September 12, 1997Seoul, South Korea1 goal2–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
10
October 11, 1997Almaty, Kazakhstan1 goal1–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
12
October 18, 1997Tashkent, Uzbekistan2 goals5–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
13
January 27, 1998Bangkok, Thailand1 goal2–01998 King's Cup
14
January 29, 1998Bangkok, Thailand1 goal2–01998 King's Cup
15
January 31, 1998Bangkok, Thailand1 goal1–1 1998 King's Cup
16
February 7, 1998Auckland, New Zealand1 goal1–0Friendly match
17
April 18, 1998Skopje, Macedonia1 goal2–2Friendly match
18
May 27, 1998Seoul, South Korea1 goal2–2Friendly match
20
December 2, 1998Bangkok, Thailand2 goals2–31998 Asian Games
22
December 4, 1998Bangkok, Thailand2 goals4–01998 Asian Games
24
December 7, 1998Bangkok, Thailand2 goals2–01998 Asian Games
25
December 11, 1998Bangkok, Thailand1 goal1–01998 Asian Games
26
September 13, 2001Daejeon, South Korea1 goal2–2Friendly match
27
November 13, 2001Gwangju, South Korea1 goal1–1Friendly match

Managerial

Honours

Player

Anyang LG Cheetahs
South Korea U20
South Korea
Individual
FC Seoul
Jiangsu Suning
Individual