Song Chong-gug

Song Chong-gug (Korean: 송종국; born 20 February 1979) is a retired South Korean football player, who played in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Song Chong-gug
Song with Suwon Samsung Bluewings in 2008.
Personal information
Full name Song Chong-gug
Date of birth (1979-02-20) 20 February 1979
Place of birth Danyang, Chungbuk, South Korea
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right-back, defensive midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
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 Samsung Bluewings 95 (2)
2010 Al-Shabab 7 (2)
2011 Ulsan Hyundai 13 (0)
2011 Tianjin Teda 14 (1)
Total 216 (11)
International career
1997–1999 South Korea U20 11 (0)
2000 South Korea U23 2 (0)
2000–2007 South Korea 60 (3)
Medal record
Representing  South Korea
Men's football
AFC Asian Cup
Bronze medal – third place2007 Indonesia/Malaysia
/Thailand/Vietnam		Team
AFC Youth Championship
Gold medal – first place 1998 Thailand Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
Song Chong-gug
Hangul
송종국
Hanja
宋鐘國
Revised RomanizationSong Jong-guk
McCune–ReischauerSong Chongguk
In this Korean name, the family name is Song.

Playing career

Early career

In June 2000, Song made his international debut against Macedonia under Huh Jung-moo when he was a university student. In 2001, Song started his professional career in a K League club Busan I'Cons after graduating from Yonsei University. He was named the K League Rookie of the Year in his first season.[1] Guus Hiddink, the new manager of the South Korean national team, quickly chose him as a member of the World Cup team, and tested him in various midfield and defensive positions.[2] He received the right back position after performing multiple roles.[3]

While South Korea finished the 2002 FIFA World Cup in fourth place, Song was the only outfield player of the South Korean team to play all of 687 minutes in seven matches.[4] He also nullified Luís Figo perfectly by blocking all twelve of his dribbles without a concession, making a memorable match against Portugal.[5] He sometimes talks about his experience in marking Figo when appearing on South Korean TV programs.[6]

Feyenoord

After the 2002 World Cup, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal approached Busan I'Cons to get Song, but Busan intentionally delayed the contracts in order to keep him.[7] He strongly expressed his intention to move to a European club by moving his belongings out of the club after his deals with Premier League clubs were scuttled.[7] He eventually joined an Eredivisie club Feyenoord. He made 56 appearances including UEFA Champions League games for Feyenoord in two seasons under Bert van Marwijk. However, his form regressed due to his ankle injuries, and he completely lost his place in the squad after Van Marwijk was replaced by Ruud Gullit.[8]

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

Song returned to South Korea to play for Suwon Samsung Bluewings after leaving Feyenoord in January 2005.[8] In October 2005, he injured his ankle again, and eventually underwent an operation. He came back to the field after five months, but his ability was largely debased as compared with the past.[9]

He was selected for the national team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup despite concern about his condition, and played the first group match against Togo. He successfully obstructed Emmanuel Adebayor, and assisted South Korea's winning goal.[9][10] He showed his worth better than expected, but he was excluded from the subsequent games by the manager Dick Advocaat.

Song became Suwon's key player after the 2006 World Cup, and received the armband in 2008.[11] He scored the winning goal in the 2008 K League Championship final, leading his team to the league title.[12]

Retirement

Song played for Al-Shabab, Ulsan Hyundai, and Tianjin Teda after leaving Suwon in the summer of 2010.[13] He was released by Tianjin at the end of the 2011 season, and announced his retirement in March 2012.[14]

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.[15] He presented a bigger surprise three years later by getting divorced. On 17 December 2006, he married an actress and model Park Yun-soo after an 18-month relationship.[16] The wedding was held privately in front of 100 family and friends. Song became a father six months after the wedding.[17] In October 2015, however, Song once again divorced his wife.[18]

In September 2021, Song signed with DH Entertainment.[19]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Busan I'Cons 2001K League 252??100——352
2002K League 92??10——102
Total 344??110——454
Feyenoord 2002–03Eredivisie 18130—60—271
2003–04Eredivisie 25110—30—291
2004–05Eredivisie 10000—40—140
Total 53240—130—702
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2005K League 90001112000221
2006K League 2304040——310
2007K League 2402090——350
2008K League 2321060——302
2009K League 90102050—170
2010K League 70103060—170
Total 95290351130001523
Al-Shabab 2010–11Saudi Professional League 72????30—102
Ulsan Hyundai 2011K League 1301050——190
Tianjin Teda 2011Chinese Super League 14120———161
Career total 216111605112900031212

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[20][21]
National team Year Apps Goals
South Korea 200020
2001141
2002222
200330
200480
200680
200730
Career total603
Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Song Chong-gug
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
111 February 2001Dubai, United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates1–14–12001 Dubai Tournament
219 January 2002Pasadena, United States United States1–11–22002 CONCACAF Gold Cup
329 June 2002Daegu, South Korea Turkey2–32–32002 FIFA World Cup

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Note(s) Ref.
2012 Dancing with the Stars Season 2 Himself
2013–2014 Dad! Where Are We Going? Himself
2020 Let's Play Soccer Himself Episode 48
2022 Gundesliga Himself [22]

Honours

Busan I'Cons

Feyenoord

Suwon Samsung Bluewings

Tianjin Teda

South Korea U20

South Korea

Individual

References
  1. 프로축구 시상식, 19일 타워호텔서 개최. Naver.com (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 18 December 2001.
  2. 대표팀 수비 '센터라인' 재정비 (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. 16 September 2001. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  3. 보직특명! 송종국 '윙백' 유상철 '대기' (in Korean). JoongAng Ilbo. 13 May 2002. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  4. [월드컵] 송종국.이운재, 전경기 무교체 출장 (in Korean). Maeil Business Newspaper. 29 June 2002. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  5. 송종국, 피구 묶었다 (in Korean). Busan Ilbo. 15 June 2002. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  6. '라디오스타' 송종국, 피구 "한국에 말처럼 뛰는 선수가…" (in Korean). JoongAng Ilbo. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  7. 이건 카윗이 잘못했네요.. (송종국이 직접푼썰 100% 실화주의) [Talk with Song Chong-gug]. YouTube.com (in Korean). Kkong-byung-ji-tv. 30 September 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  8. 피구를 울린 사나이, 송종국 (in Korean). OhmyNews. 19 April 2006. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  9. 역전포 도움 송종국 '화려한 재기' (in Korean). The Hankyoreh. 14 June 2006. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  10. 아데바요르 토고 축구대표팀 최진철-송종국 협력수비 완벽봉쇄[김연석] (in Korean). MBC. 14 June 2006. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  11. 송종국, 2008년 수원삼성 주장완장 찬다 (in Korean). JoyNews24. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  12. 수원 '송종국 결승골'…통산 4번째 우승 (in Korean). No Cut News. 7 December 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  13. 울산 현대, 국가대표 수비수 출신 송종국 영입 (in Korean). Ulsan Hyundai. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  14. '월드컵 4강 주역' 송종국 은퇴 (in Korean). 27 March 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  15. 삐걱거리던 결혼, 2년여만에 종지부 찍은 월드컵스타 송종국. Daum.net (in Korean). Kyunghyang. 18 August 2005. Archived from the original on 1 October 2005.
  16. 송종국-탤런트 박연수, 백여명 축하속 조촐한 웨딩!. Daum.net (in Korean). Mydaily. 17 December 2006. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012.
  17. 수원 송종국 득녀 "아빠 됐어요" (in Korean). Ilgan Sports. 21 June 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  18. 송종국 이혼, 두 번째 결혼도 또 실패...이유는? (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  19. Park, Ji-yoon (28 September 2021). 송종국, DH엔터테인먼트와 전속계약...이천수와 한솥밥. Naver.com (in Korean). The Fact. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  20. "Song Chong-gug at Korea Football Association" (in Korean). KFA. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  21. Song Chong-gug at National-Football-Teams.com
  22. Ji, Seung-hoon (14 April 2022). WC 레전드 VS 강철 군대 격돌...'군대스리가', 5월 첫방 (공식). Naver.com (in Korean). YTN. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  23. Lee, Seung-soo; Trevena, Mark (8 April 2020). "South Korea – List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  24. "Netherlands Cup Finals". RSSSF. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  25. Saaid, Hamdan (26 February 2009). "Pan-Pacific Championship". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  26. Nakanishi, Masanori; Lee, Seung-soo (14 June 2007). "East Asian Champions Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  27. Lee, Seung-soo; Schöggl, Hans; Trevena, Mark (13 May 2020). "South Korea – List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  28. "足协杯-王新欣于大宝联手逆转 天津2-1胜山东夺冠" (in Chinese). Sina Sports. 19 November 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  29. Di Maggio, Roberto; Garin, Erik; Jönsson, Mikael; Morrison, Neil; Stokkermans, Karel (22 November 2018). "Asian U-19/U-20 Championship". RSSSF. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  30. Stokkermans, Karel (7 February 2019). "Asian Nations Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  31. 송종국 ‘AFC 이달의 선수’ (in Korean). KBS. 7 December 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  32. "The best Asian team at the FIFA World Cup announced!". Asian Football Confederation. 7 July 2020. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
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