Lee Chung-yong facts for kids
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Lee with Ulsan HD in 2024
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Lee Chung-yong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 2 July 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Seoul, South Korea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Ulsan HD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | FC Seoul | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2009 | FC Seoul | 54 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2015 | Bolton Wanderers | 176 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2018 | Crystal Palace | 38 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | VfL Bochum | 35 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020– | Ulsan HD | 151 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | South Korea U17 | 6 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | South Korea U20 | 18 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | South Korea U23 | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2019 | South Korea | 89 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:45, 11 July 2025 (UTC)~ ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 July 2020 (UTC) |
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| Lee Chung-yong | |
| Hangul |
이청용
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|---|---|
| Hanja |
李菁龍
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| RR | I Cheongyong |
| MR | I Ch'ŏngyong |
Lee Chung-yong is a famous South Korean footballer born on July 2, 1988. He plays as a winger for the K League 1 club Ulsan HD. He also played for the South Korean national team.
His nickname is "Blue Dragon." This comes from the meaning of his given name, "Chung-yong." Lee started his professional career very young. He joined FC Seoul in 2004 when he was only 16. It was unusual for a player to leave middle school to sign with a top football club, but Lee's talent was clear. In 2009, The Times newspaper even called him one of the top 50 rising stars in football.
Contents
Lee Chung-yong's Early Life
Lee Chung-yong began playing football when he was 11 years old. Some people thought this was a late start. However, his amazing talent quickly became clear. He became well-known in the youth football world in Seoul.
Lee Chung-yong's Club Career
Playing for FC Seoul
In 2003, the manager of FC Seoul, Cho Kwang-rae, saw Lee play. He was so impressed that he signed Lee right away. Lee then left middle school to join FC Seoul. This was a very rare step for a young player in South Korea.
Lee played alongside his good friend and future national teammate Ki Sung-yueng. In 2007, a new manager, Şenol Güneş, joined FC Seoul. He saw the great skills of Lee and other young players. Lee started playing more often for the first team. He played 15 league matches and scored three goals that season.
By 2008, Lee was a regular player for FC Seoul. He played 22 league matches and scored five goals. Fans loved watching Lee and Ki Sung-yueng play together. They even called them "Ssang Yong," which means "Double Dragon." In 2009, Lee continued to play well. He helped his team win many important games.
Moving to Bolton Wanderers
In 2009, Lee Chung-yong moved to England. He joined Premier League club Bolton Wanderers. The transfer cost about £2.2 million. He was very excited to start this new part of his career.
Lee played his first game for Bolton on August 15, 2009. He scored his first goal for the club on September 26. This goal helped Bolton win 2-1 against Birmingham City. He quickly became a key player for the team. He was even named "Man of the Match" in several games.
At the end of his first season, Lee won many awards. These included Bolton Player of the Year. After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, some big clubs like Liverpool were interested in him. But Lee decided to stay with Bolton. He signed a new contract to stay until 2013.
In 2011, Lee suffered a broken leg during a friendly game. This was a serious injury. But he worked hard to recover. By May 2012, he was back on the field. Fans gave him a huge cheer when he returned. He continued to play for Bolton until 2015.
Time at Crystal Palace
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On February 2, 2015, Lee joined another Premier League team, Crystal Palace. He signed a contract until June 2018. He scored his first goal for Crystal Palace in August 2015. His first league goal was a fantastic 30-yard shot in December 2015. This goal helped his team win 2-1 against Stoke City. Lee left Crystal Palace in June 2018 when his contract ended.
Playing for VfL Bochum
On September 6, 2018, Lee moved to Germany. He signed with 2. Bundesliga club VfL Bochum. He played 23 games for them in the 2018-19 season. During this time, he scored one goal and helped with six assists. He played for VfL Bochum until 2020.
Return to South Korea with Ulsan HD
On March 4, 2020, Lee returned to South Korea. He joined K League 1 club Ulsan HD. In December of that year, he helped Ulsan win the 2020 AFC Champions League. This is a very important football competition in Asia.
In 2022, Lee helped Ulsan win the 2022 K League 1 title. He also won the K League 1 MVP Award that year. This award goes to the most valuable player in the league. He was also chosen for the K League 1 Best XI (the best team of players) for the second time in his career.
Lee has continued to help Ulsan HD. Even when he doesn't start every game, he often comes in as a substitute. He helps his team by creating chances and showing his great skills. He has helped Ulsan win the K League 1 title in 2023 and 2024 as well.
Lee Chung-yong's International Career
Lee started playing for South Korea's national youth teams. He played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. His performances caught the eye of many scouts.
On May 31, 2008, Lee made his debut for the senior national team. This was in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match. He scored his first national team goal against Jordan on September 5, 2008. Lee was a very important player in South Korea's journey to the FIFA World Cup.
He played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He scored a goal against Argentina. He also scored against Uruguay in the knockout stage. Sports Illustrated named him one of the top 10 rising stars of the 2010 World Cup.
On October 15, 2013, Lee played his 50th game for the national team. He helped South Korea win 3-1 against Mali. A month later, he was the team captain and scored the winning goal against Switzerland. Lee was also part of the South Korea squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
In 2015, Lee was part of the team for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. However, he got a leg injury in the first match and could not play for the rest of the tournament. He was considered for the 2018 FIFA World Cup squad but did not make the final team.
Lee Chung-yong's Personal Life
Lee Chung-yong married his middle-school girlfriend on July 12, 2014. He lives a very healthy lifestyle. He avoids alcohol, smoking, and even coffee. When he moved to England, he spent hours every day studying English. He wanted to improve his speaking skills.
Honours and Awards
Lee Chung-yong has won many awards and titles throughout his career:
FC Seoul
- Korean League Cup: 2006
Ulsan HD
- AFC Champions League: 2020
- K League 1: 2022, 2023, 2024
South Korea U20
- AFC Youth Championship third place: 2006
South Korea
- AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 2015
Individual Awards
- K League 1 Best XI: 2008, 2022
- Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year: 2009–10
- Premier League Player of the Year by Northwest Football Awards: 2010
- Korean FA Fans' Player of the Year: 2013
- K League 1 Most Valuable Player: 2022
See also
In Spanish: Lee Chung-yong para niños
