Kim Byung-ji facts for kids
Kim in 2010
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kim Byung-ji | ||
| Date of birth | 8 April 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Miryang, Gyeongnam, South Korea | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1983–1985 | Milyang Middle School | ||
| 1986–1988 | Aloysius Technical High School | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1990–1992 | Sangmu FC (draft) | ||
| 1992–2000 | Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i | 177 | (2) |
| 2001–2005 | Pohang Steelers | 137 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | FC Seoul | 58 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | Gyeongnam FC | ||
| 2013–2015 | Jeonnam Dragons | 101 | (0) |
| Total | 595 | (2) | |
| National team | |||
| 1995–2008 | South Korea | 61 | (0) |
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| Kim Byung-ji | |
| Hangul |
김병지
|
|---|---|
| Hanja |
金秉址
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| Revised Romanization | Gim Byeong-ji |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Pyŏng-ji |
Kim Byung-ji (born 8 April 1970) is a famous former football goalkeeper from South Korea. He played for the South Korea national team and many different clubs in the K League.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Kim Byung-ji played professional football for 24 years, from 1992 to 2015. He holds amazing records in the K League and Korean League Cup. He played a record-breaking 706 games! As a goalkeeper, he also managed to keep 229 "clean sheets," which means his team didn't let in any goals in those games. He even scored three goals himself, which is very rare for a goalkeeper!
Kim was part of the South Korean team for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In one tough match, South Korea lost 5–0 to the Netherlands. Even though the team faced a lot of criticism, Kim Byung-ji was praised for his efforts. He faced 17 shots on target from the Netherlands team and was seen as the only player who performed well despite the big loss.
Kim's Unique Playing Style
Kim Byung-ji was known as a "sweeper-keeper." This means he didn't just stay in his goal area. He would often run out of the penalty box quickly to clear the ball, acting almost like an extra defender. He was also famous for his quick reflexes and making incredible saves.
However, Kim was also known for being very active and sometimes a bit unpredictable in his play. In a match against Paraguay in 2001, he tried to dribble the ball away from his goal, but he lost it. This surprised the South Korea manager at the time, Guus Hiddink.
Kim had a friendly competition with another great goalkeeper, Lee Woon-jae, for the starting spot on the national team, especially for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Because of Kim's unpredictable play in that 2001 match, manager Hiddink decided to choose Lee Woon-jae as the main goalkeeper for the World Cup.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing football in 2015, Kim Byung-ji started a new career. He became a YouTuber and runs his own channel called "Kkong-byung-ji-tv."
His experience in football led him to important roles off the field too. On January 27, 2021, he was chosen as a vice-president of the Korea Football Association (KFA).
Later, on May 28, 2022, he signed with an entertainment company called Angry Dogs.
On December 15, 2022, Kim Byung-ji became the president of Gangwon FC, a football club. He then left his role at the KFA the next month to focus completely on leading Gangwon FC.
More recently, on October 20, 2024, he even played as a goalkeeper in a special "icon match" hosted by Nexon.
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Vincenzo | Youth football team coach | ||
| 2021–present | Kick A Goal | Himself | ||
| 2022 | Steel Ball | Himself (host) |
Achievements and Awards
Kim Byung-ji has won many awards and honours throughout his career:
Player Honours
Sangmu FC
- Korean Semi-professional League (Spring): 1992
- Korean Semi-professional League (Autumn): 1991
Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i
- K League 1: 1996
- Korean FA Cup runner-up: 1998
- Korean League Cup: 1995, 1998
Pohang Steelers
- Korean FA Cup runner-up: 2001, 2002
FC Seoul
- Korean League Cup: 2006
Individual Awards
- Korean Semi-professional League (Autumn) Best Player: 1991
- K League All-Star: 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015
- K League 1 Best XI: 1996, 1998, 2005, 2007
- K League All-Star Game Most Valuable Player: 2000
Records
- Most appearances in K League history: 706 appearances
- Most clean sheets in K League history: 229 clean sheets
Television Personality Honours
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBS Entertainment Awards | 2022 | Leader of the Year Award | Kick A Goal | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Kim Byung-ji para niños
