Korea's soccer legend Koo Ja-cheol retires

Korea's soccer legend Koo Ja-cheol retires. January. 15, 2025 08:20. by Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com.
In his retirement press conference held on Tuesday at the Football Association Hall in Seoul, Korea's national footballer Koo Ja-cheol said one of the most memorable moments in his career was watching the Korean national flag being raised at the 2012 London Olympics with his medal around his neck.

Koo led the team as captain composed of footballers aged 23 or under in London to win the first-ever bronze medal in Korea's soccer history. In the bronze medal match against Japan, Koo sealed the victory with a decisive goal in the 11th minute of the second half, securing a 2-0 win.

Starting his professional career with Jeju United in the K League in 2007, Koo moved to Germany's Bundesliga four years later, playing for clubs including Wolfsburg, Augsburg, and Mainz. He later played in Qatar's Al-Gharafa and Al-Khor before returning to his former club, Jeju United, in 2022, where he spent three more seasons. Koo, a midfielder, finished his K League regular season career with eight goals and 19 assists in 95 matches. Koo noted that he decided to retire as he felt that the recovery time for pain in his ankles and knees had slowed.

Koo served as a key member of the national team along with his besties Ki Sung-yueng and Lee Chung-yong, leading the Korean football landscape in the 2010s. He represented the nation in two World Cups (2014 and 2018), making 76 appearances in A-matches and scoring 19 goals. He won the top scorer post with five goals in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

Koo will begin his second football career as an advisor for Jeju United's youth players. He will give advice on youth training programs based on his experiences playing in European football leagues. He further noted that he planned to discover young talented players and help them settle firmly in first-tier leagues.