Song Chong-gug

Song Chong-Gug
송종국
Personal information
Full name Song Chong-gug
Date of birth (1979-02-20) 20 February 1979
Place of birth Danyang, South Korea
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Defender
Youth career
1997–2000 Yonsei University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Busan I'cons 34 (4)
2002–2005 Feyenoord 53 (2)
2005–2010 Suwon Bluewings 95 (2)
2010 Al-Shabab 7 (2)
2011 Ulsan Hyundai 13 (0)
2011 Tianjin Teda 14 (1)
Total 216 (11)
National team‡
1997–1999 South Korea U-20 11 (0)
2000 South Korea U-23 2 (0)
2000–2007 South Korea 60 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 November 2011 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 June 2010 (UTC)
Song Chong-gug
Hangul 송종국
Hanja 宋鐘國
Revised Romanization Song Jong-guk
McCune–Reischauer Song Chongguk
This is a Korean name; the family name is Song.

Song Chong-Gug (송종국; born 20 February 1979 in Danyang, Chungcheongbuk-do) is a retired South Korean football player who last played for Tianjin Teda F.C. in the Chinese Super League.

Career

From 2001 to 2002, Song played in the K-league for his hometown team Busan I'cons, now known as Busan I'Park, before he became famous.

In 2002 Song became a superstar virtually overnight when he played in 2002 FIFA World Cup, and contributed greatly to Korea's victories against Poland, Portugal, Italy, and Spain.

Song was a virtually unknown to most South Korea fans before 2001. Song had made his international debut against Macedonia in June 2000 under Huh Jung-Moo, Hiddink's predecessor, but had not yet developed well. When Guus Hiddink arrived to take over the reins, he received mass criticism from the Korean public when he chose the inexperienced Song in Korean starting line-up for the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, to replace the popular but injured captain Hong Myung Bo for the tournament. Under Guus Hiddink's expert guidance Song developed into a key player that was always one of the first names to go on Hiddink's team sheet during the 2002 World Cup.

One of the reasons Hiddink rated Song so highly was his uncanny ability to shut down opposing players - against the highly fancied Portugal, Song was deployed as a wingback and successfully marked a (although injured) Luís Figo out of the game during Korea's group match, greatly reducing the threat to Korea's defence. Ironically, Song started his professional career as a right winger and Luís Figo was his greatest idol.

After the 2002 World Cup, Song left Korea to play for Dutch giants Feyenoord. He was a defender for Feyenoord most of the time, but played a couple of matches on the midfield. Song spent about three years in Rotterdam, playing in 53 matches, and scoring two goals and seven assists. When Feyenood hired a new manager, Song never managed to impress him.

After leaving Feyenoord, Song returned to Korea in 2005 to play in the K-league with Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

Song has had a left ankle injury, which prevented him from making a comeback in 2005. Although Song was not able to recover as fast as he hoped, and only was able to play in late March 2006, prospect of his recovery was enough to guarantee his place in the South Korean squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

He signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab Riyadh in the summer of 2010 and decided to start a new experience in the Saudi Professional League.

He joined to Ulsan Hyundai on 8 February 2011, signing a one-year contract.[1] Having made 13 league appearances for Ulsan, he had his contract canceled by mutual consent on 5 July 2011.

He joined Chinese outfit Tianjin Teda the next day, signing a one-and-half-year contract. However, Song was released by Tianjin in the end of the 2011 league season.

Personal life

In 2003, Song married Kim Jung-Ah to the surprise of many of his fans after dating Kim since April 2001. Before the marriage, he had been linked with multiple celebrities including Lee Jin, a member of a Korean girl band Fin.K.L..[2] He presented a bigger surprise three years later by getting divorced. On 17 December 2006, he married actress and model Park Yun-Soo after an 18-month relationship.[3] The wedding was held privately in front of 100 family and friends. Song became a father six months after the wedding.[4] In October 2015, Song divorce his wife.

Club career statistics

As of 18 November 2011

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2001Busan I'consK-League252100-
20029210-
Netherlands League KNVB Cup League Cup Europe Total
2002-03FeyenoordEredivisie1813060
2003-042511030
2004-051000040
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2005Suwon Samsung BluewingsK-League900011120221
20062304040-310
20072402090-350
20082321060-302
200990102050170
201070103060170
Saudi Arabia League Crown Prince Cup League Cup Asia Total
2010-11Al-Shabab RiyadhSaudi Premier League7230
South Korea League KFA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2011Ulsan HyundaiK-League1301050-190
China PR League FA Cup CSL Cup Asia Total
2011Tianjin TedaChinese Super League14120--161
Total South Korea 1426100511130
Netherlands 53240130
Saudi Arabia 7230
China PR 141200000161
Career total 21611290

International career statistics

[5]

Korea Republic national team
YearAppsGoals
200020
2001141
2002222
200330
200480
200500
200680
200730
Total603

International goals

Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
11 February 2001 United Arab Emirates Dubai  United Arab Emirates 1 goal 4-1 2001 Dubai Tournament
19 January 2002 United States Pasadena  United States 1 goal 1-2 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
29 June 2002 South Korea South Korea  Turkey 1 goal 2-3 2002 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Suwon Bluewings

Tianjin Teda

References

  1. ↑ 울산 현대, 국가대표 수비수 출신 송종국 영입 (in Korean). uhfc.tv. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  2. ↑ 삐걱거리던 결혼, 2년여만에 종지부 찍은 월드컵스타 송종국
  3. ↑ 송종국-탤런트 박연수, 백여명 축하속 조촐한 웨딩!
  4. ↑ 수원 송종국 득녀 "아빠 됐어요"
  5. ↑ Song Chong-gug at National-Football-Teams.com
Awards
Preceded by
South Korea Yang Hyun-Jung		 K-League Rookie of the Year
2001 		Succeeded by
South Korea Lee Chun-Soo
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Lee Kwan-Woo		 Suwon Samsung Bluewings captain
2008 		Succeeded by
Kwak Hee-Ju
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