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Hong Myung-bo
Hong Myung-Bo.jpg
Hong in 2013
Personal information
Date of birth (1969-02-12) 12 February 1969 (age 55)
Place of birth Seoul, South Korea
Height 1.81 m
Playing position Sweeper
Club information
Current club Ulsan HD (head coach)
Youth career
1981–1983 Kwanghee Middle School
1984–1986 Dongbuk High School [ko]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991 Sangmu FC (draft)
1992–1997 Pohang Steelers 110 (14)
1997–1998 Bellmare Hiratsuka 42 (0)
1999–2001 Kashiwa Reysol 72 (7)
2002 Pohang Steelers 19 (0)
2003–2004 LA Galaxy 38 (0)
Total 281 (21)
National team
2000 South Korea U23 1 (0)
1991 South Korea B
1990–2002 South Korea 137 (10)
Teams managed
2009 South Korea U20
2009–2012 South Korea U23
2013–2014 South Korea
2016–2017 Hangzhou Greentown
2021– Ulsan Hyundai
Honours
Men's football
Representing  South Korea (as player)
Summer Universiade
Gold 1991 Sheffield Team
Asian Games
Bronze 1990 Beijing Team
AFC Asian Cup
Bronze 2000 Lebanon Team
Representing  South Korea (as manager)
Olympic Games
Bronze 2012 London Team
Asian Games
Bronze 2010 Guangzhou Team
EAFF Championship
Bronze 2013 South Korea Team
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
Hong Myung-bo
Hangul 홍명보
Hanja 洪明甫
Revised Romanization Hong Myeong-bo
McCune–Reischauer Hong Myŏng-bo

Hong Myung-bo (also spelled Hong Myeong-bo, Korean: 홍명보, Hanja: 洪明甫; Korean pronunciation: [hoŋmjʌŋbo]; born 12 February 1969) is a South Korean football manager and former footballer who played as a sweeper. He is the current head coach of Ulsan HD. Hong is often considered one of the greatest Asian footballers of all time.

Hong was a member of the South Korean national team in four FIFA World Cups, and was the first Asian player to play in four consecutive World Cup final tournaments. He is also the first Asian player ever to receive the Bronze Ball at the World Cup. He gained attention after showing his outstanding ability in World Cup and Asian competitions. He received some votes in elections for the FIFA World Player of the Year, finishing 21st in 1996 and 17th in 2002. Furthermore, he was also selected for the FIFA 100, Pelé's selection about the 125 greatest living footballers in the world.

International career

1990 World Cup

Hong was named in South Korea's squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup just four months after his international debut. The youngest South Korean player to participate in the tournament, Hong played all of the three matches in the group stage and received the most praise in South Korea despite losing all group matches.

1994 World Cup

Hong was selected as a member of South Korean Universiade team in 1991. He stabilized South Korea's defense, helping them advance to the final. He scored South Korea's first penalty in the shoot-out after South Korea drew the final with the Netherlands without a goal during 120 minutes. Hong and South Korea won a gold medal by defeating the Netherlands on penalties.

Hong's talent began to receive attention in earnest since the 1994 FIFA World Cup. When South Korea had only five minutes to catch up Spain, which was leading the match with the score of 2–0, he scored South Korea's first goal outside the penalty area, and assisted his teammate Seo Jung-won to score the equaliser shortly after his goal. While South Korea was losing to defending champions Germany by conceding three goals in the first half, Hong scored one of South Korea's two goals in the second half with a long-range shot.

1998 World Cup

Hong participated in the 1994 Asian Games after the World Cup, but he injured his knee during the quarter-final match against Japan. South Korea lost to Uzbekistan in the semi-finals after he quit the tournament.

While Park Jong-hwan managed South Korean national team, Hong was in conflict with Park who had a coercive disposition, and was criticized for forming his faction in the team. He was also doubted whether he played the game lazily after South Korea lost 6–2 to Iran in the quarter-finals of the 1996 AFC Asian Cup.

Under the next manager Cha Bum-kun, South Korea recorded one draw and two defeats including a 5–0 loss to the Netherlands in the group stage of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Hong also failed to prevent South Korea's elimination in the group stage.

2002 World Cup

Hong was going to be selected as an over-aged player of South Korean under-23 team for the 2000 Summer Olympics, but he was injured just before the tournament.

In the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, Hong was selected for the All-Star Team, although South Korea failed to win the title by losing the semi-final match against Saudi Arabia.

Hong captained South Korea to a historic fourth-place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored the winning penalty to secure a 5–3 shoot-out victory after a goalless draw in the quarter-final match against Spain. The Technical Study Group voted Hong as the third best player of the tournament, giving the Bronze Ball to him. He became the first-ever Asian player to be named one of the top three players in a World Cup.

In that year, Hong ended his international career after a friendly match against World Cup champions Brazil as the all-time leader in appearances for South Korean national team.

Style of play

Hong didn't have rapid pace, untiring stamina or outstanding ability in man-to-man defense, but he possessed a wide field of vision as well as great leadership skills with which he marshalled his defensive partners. An offensive sweeper, he was noted for his accurate long-range passing skills which greatly contributed to South Korea's attack. He was nicknamed the "Eternal Libero" by the South Korean media, and became a preeminent icon of South Korean football during his era.

Managerial career

On 26 September 2005, after his retirement as a player, Hong returned to the national team as assistant coach. Helping the manager Dick Advocaat, he took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and worked with the next manager Pim Verbeek in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. After the resignation of Verbeek, he was one of the candidates to become the next manager.

The Korean FA announced that it had appointed him as the South Korea under-20 team, on 19 February 2009. Under his guidance the team reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but were eliminated due to a 3–2 defeat to Ghana, the eventual champions.

Hong also served an assistant coach for South Korea under-23 team under Park Sung-hwa. In October 2009, he took over the coaching duties at under-23 team. He led his team into third place in the 2010 Asian Games. On 10 August 2012, Hong Myung-bo coached the men's Olympic team to a 2–0 win over Japan to secure the bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, which set up a record by obtaining the first medal ever for South Korea in Olympic football as well as being the first Asian team in 44 years to win a medal at that event.

He was named as assistant manager to Guus Hiddink at Anzhi Makhachkala in August 2012. After Choi Kang-hee, the former head coach of South Korea, took the responsibility of the team's poor performance in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification and resigned from his position, Hong Myung-bo was appointed as the new head coach of the team on 24 June 2013 to prepare the team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. After a winless World Cup campaign, Hong resigned from his post on 10 July 2014.

On 24 December 2020, Hong was appointed as the head coach of Ulsan Hyundai.

Personal life

Hong married Cho Soo-mi, who was five years younger than him, in 1997. He has two sons, Hong Seong-min and Hong Jeong-min. One of them is currently attending Korea International School. Hong also has two younger siblings. Hong is known for his reticence and charisma.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sangmu FC (draft) 1991 Semipro League
Pohang Steelers 1992 K League 29 1 8 0 37 1
1993 K League 11 1 1 0 12 1
1994 K League 17 4 0 0 17 4
1995 K League 24 1 7 0 31 1
1996 K League 29 7 5 0 34 7
1997 K League 0 0 6 0 6 0
Total 110 14 27 0 137 14
Bellmare Hiratsuka 1997 J1 League 10 0 3 1 0 0 13 1
1998 J1 League 32 0 2 0 0 0 34 0
Total 42 0 5 1 0 0 47 1
Kashiwa Reysol 1999 J1 League 28 5 4 2 5 2 37 9
2000 J1 League 29 2 2 0 2 0 33 2
2001 J1 League 15 0 0 0 3 0 18 0
Total 72 7 6 2 10 2 88 11
Pohang Steelers 2002 K League 19 0 0 0 19 0
LA Galaxy 2003 Major League Soccer 25 0 2 0 27 0
2004 Major League Soccer 13 0 0 0 13 0
Total 38 0 2 0 40 0
Career total 281 21 13 3 37 2 331 26

International

  • Appearances and goals by national team and year
    National team Year Apps Goals
    South Korea 1990 20 2
    1991 1 0
    1992 3 1
    1993 18 2
    1994 14 4
    1995 5 0
    1996 16 1
    1997 12 0
    1998 9 0
    1999 5 0
    2000 11 0
    2001 7 0
    2002 16 0
    Career total 137 10
  • Appearances and goals by competition
    Competition Apps Goals
    Friendlies 48 2
    Minor competitions 26 2
    CONCACAF Gold Cup 2 0
    Asian Games 9 1
    AFC Asian Cup qualification 3 1
    AFC Asian Cup 9 0
    FIFA Confederations Cup 3 0
    FIFA World Cup qualification 20 2
    FIFA World Cup 16 2
    Total 136 10
Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Hong Myung-bo
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 3 August 1990 Beijing, China 10  China 1–0 1–1 (aet)
(6–5 p)
1990 Dynasty Cup
2 23 September 1990 Beijing, China 13  Singapore 1–0 7–0 1990 Asian Games
3 24 August 1992 Beijing, China 23  North Korea 1–0 1–1 1992 Dynasty Cup
4 13 May 1993 Beirut, Lebanon 29  India 1–0 3–0 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
5 19 October 1993 Doha, Qatar 39  Iraq 2–1 2–2 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
6 5 June 1994 Boston, United States 46  Ecuador 1–1 1–2 Friendly
7 17 June 1994 Dallas, United States 48  Spain 1–2 2–2 1994 FIFA World Cup
8 27 June 1994 Dallas, United States 50  Germany 2–3 2–3 1994 FIFA World Cup
9 11 September 1994 Gangneung, South Korea 51  Ukraine 1–0 1–0 Friendly
10 8 August 1996 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 69  Chinese Taipei 1–0 4–0 1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Honours

Player

Sangmu FC

  • Korean Semi-professional League (Autumn): 1991

Pohang Steelers

Kashiwa Reysol

South Korea B

  • Summer Universiade: 1991

South Korea

Individual

  • World XI: 1997
  • FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball: 2002
  • FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002
  • FIFA 100: 2004
  • AFC Asian All Stars: 1993, 1997, 2000
  • AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 2000
  • AFC Hall of Fame: 2014
  • AFC Opta All-time XI at the FIFA World Cup: 2020
  • AFC Fans' All-time XI at the FIFA World Cup: 2020
  • AFC Asian Cup All-time XI: 2023
  • IFFHS Asian Men's Team of the 20th Century: 2021
  • IFFHS Asian Men's Team of All Time: 2021
  • K League 1 Most Valuable Player: 1992
  • K League 1 Best XI: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002
  • K League 30th Anniversary Best XI: 2013
  • K League Hall of Fame: 2023
  • J1 League Best XI: 2000

Records

  • Most caps for South Korea: 136 caps

Manager

South Korea U23

Ulsan Hyundai

Individual

  • K League Manager of the Month: August 2021, February/March 2022, February/March 2023
  • K League 1 Manager of the Year: 2022, 2023

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hong Myung-bo para niños

  • List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
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