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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Winger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | 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 | 112 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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| Lee Chung-yong | |
| Hangul |
이청용
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|---|---|
| Hanja |
李青龍
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| Revised Romanization | I Cheong-yong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yi Ch'ŏng'yong |
Lee Chung-yong (Hangul: 이청용; Hanja: 李青龍; born 2 July 1988) is a famous South Korean football player. He plays as a winger for K League 1 club Ulsan HD. He also plays for the South Korean national team.
His nickname is "Blue Dragon." This is a direct translation of his first name, "Chung-yong." He started his professional career with FC Seoul in 2004. Lee got a lot of attention from fans because he joined a top football club at age 18. This was unusual because he left middle school early to sign his contract. In South Korea, most players join clubs through a draft system.
In January 2009, The Times newspaper called Lee 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 he started a bit late. However, his amazing talent was clear to everyone. His reputation grew quickly among young football players in Seoul.
Lee's Club Career
Playing for FC Seoul
In 2003, FC Seoul (then called Anyang LG Cheetahs) started a new plan. Their manager, Cho Kwang-rae, wanted to create a youth academy. Lee, who was in middle school, caught the eye of a scout. Manager Cho watched him play and knew Lee had huge potential. He decided to sign Lee right away. Lee then left middle school to join FC Seoul.
In 2006, Lee played his first game in the K League. For several years, he improved his skills with the FC Seoul reserve team. His close friend and future national teammate, Ki Sung-yueng, was also there.
In 2007, Şenol Güneş became the manager of FC Seoul. He was famous for leading Turkey to third place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He saw how talented Lee, Koh Myong-jin, and Ki Sung-yueng were. He decided to make them important players for the main team. That season, Lee played in 15 league games and scored three goals.
In 2008, Lee became a regular player for FC Seoul. He played 22 league games and scored five goals. Fans loved watching Lee and Ki Sung-yueng play together. They were so good that fans called them "Ssang Yong," meaning "Double Dragon." This was a fun play on their names.
In 2009, Lee continued his great performance. He helped his team score three goals in the first game of the season. On 4 April 2009, he scored the winning goal against Seoul's big rival, Suwon Samsung Bluewings.
Time at Bolton Wanderers
FC Seoul announced that Lee Chung-yong would join Premier League team Bolton Wanderers. On 29 July 2009, he got permission to work in the UK. This allowed him to complete his transfer for about £2.2 million. He had already agreed to a three-year contract and passed his medical check. The transfer was officially confirmed on 14 August 2009. Lee said he was excited for this new part of his career.
He played his first game for Bolton on 15 August 2009. He came in as a substitute against Sunderland. He scored his first goal for Bolton on 26 September. It was the winning goal in a 2–1 victory against Birmingham City. He was named "Man of the Match" in a game against Tottenham Hotspur. Because of his strong performances, Lee was named in the ESPN Soccernet Team of the Week twice.
At the end of his first season, Lee won three awards for Bolton. He was named Bolton Player of the Year, Players' Player of the Year, and best newcomer. After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, other clubs like Liverpool were interested in him. But Lee decided to stay at Bolton. In November, he signed a new contract to stay until 2013.
On 30 July 2011, Lee broke his leg during a friendly game. Doctors first thought he would be out for at least nine months. But by September, Bolton hoped he would return sooner. By April 2012, Lee was training with the team again. On 6 May 2012, Lee made a surprise return to play. He came in as a substitute against West Bromwich Albion. The home crowd gave him a standing ovation.
Lee had signed a new contract in secret the previous summer. This extended his stay at Bolton until the end of the 2014–15 season. For a long time, Bolton won every game in which Lee scored. This streak ended on 27 October 2012 when Bolton lost to Middlesbrough.
In the 2012–13 season, Lee slowly returned to playing regularly. It took him several months to get back to his best form after his serious injury. However, in the second half of the season, he played much better. He finished the season with four goals and seven assists. Lee stayed with Bolton for the 2013–14 season. He scored in the last two games as Bolton finished 14th in the league.
Playing for Crystal Palace
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On 2 February 2015, Lee joined Premier League team Crystal Palace. He signed a contract until June 2018. He scored his first goal for the club on 25 August 2015 in the League Cup. He scored his first league goal for Palace on 19 December 2015. It was a 30-yard shot in the 90th minute, helping his team beat Stoke City 2–1.
In June 2018, Lee left Crystal Palace when his contract ended. Bolton tried to sign him again, but Lee could not get a work permit. This meant he couldn't join them.
Moving to VfL Bochum
On 6 September 2018, Lee signed with 2. Bundesliga team VfL Bochum in Germany. He signed a contract until the end of the 2018–19 season. He scored one goal and helped with six assists in 23 games during the 2018–19 2. Bundesliga season. A German football magazine called kicker ranked him highly among all 2. Bundesliga players.
Success with Ulsan HD
On 4 March 2020, Lee joined K League 1 club Ulsan Hyundai. In December, he helped Ulsan win the 2020 AFC Champions League. In 2022, he helped them win the 2022 K League 1 title. He also won the K League 1 MVP Award that year. He was also chosen for the K League 1 Best XI for the second time in his career.
Since joining Ulsan Hyundai, Lee has used his experience to help the team. He doesn't start every game, but he often comes in as a substitute. He has recently helped his team win three league games in a row by being a key playmaker.
Lee's International Career
Lee's international journey began with the South Korea under-20 squad. He played in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Even though South Korea didn't make it to the next round, Lee played very well. Many people, including European scouts, noticed his talent.
After playing for the under-20 team, Lee joined the national under-23 team. They tried to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Many Koreans thought Lee was the most exciting player on the team. His first game for the under-23 team was against Syria on 17 October 2007.
On 31 May 2008, Lee played his first game for the senior national team. This was a World Cup qualification match against Jordan. He scored his first goal for the national team against Jordan on 5 September 2008. Lee was a very important player in South Korea's successful qualification for the FIFA World Cup. This was their seventh time in a row, which is an Asian record.
On 17 June 2010, Lee scored a goal against Argentina in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored again in the round of 16 match against Uruguay. South Korea lost that game 2–1. Sports Illustrated magazine named Lee one of the top 10 rising stars of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
On 15 October 2013, Lee played his 50th game for the Korean national team. This was a friendly match against Mali. Lee helped his team score two goals, and Korea won 3–1. One month later, Lee was the captain in a friendly game against Switzerland. He scored the winning goal in the 87th minute. This was his first international goal in over three years.
Lee was chosen for South Korea's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He started all three games, but Korea was eliminated in the group stage. Lee was also part of South Korea's team for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. However, in the first match, he broke a bone in his leg. This meant he could not play for the rest of the tournament. Lee was considered for the 2018 World Cup but did not make the final team.
Lee's Personal Life
Lee married his middle-school girlfriend on 12 July 2014, in Seoul.
Lee has said that he avoids alcohol and smoking. He even tries not to drink coffee. When he moved to England, he spent hours each day studying English. He also took English classes to get better at speaking.
Career Statistics
Club Performance
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Seoul | 2006 | K League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
| 2007 | K League | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | ||
| 2008 | K League | 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 26 | 6 | ||
| 2009 | K League | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 3 | |
| Total | 54 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 78 | 12 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers | 2009–10 | Premier League | 34 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 40 | 5 | |
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 31 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 4 | ||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | Championship | 41 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 44 | 5 | ||
| 2013–14 | Championship | 45 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 47 | 3 | ||
| 2014–15 | Championship | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 26 | 3 | ||
| Total | 176 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | 195 | 20 | |||
| Crystal Palace | 2014–15 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| Total | 38 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 50 | 2 | |||
| VfL Bochum | 2018–19 | 2. Bundesliga | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | 2. Bundesliga | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 1 | ||||
| Ulsan HD | 2020 | K League 1 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 8 | 0 | 32 | 5 | |
| 2021 | K League 1 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 34 | 3 | ||
| 2022 | K League 1 | 35 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | 43 | 3 | ||
| 2023 | K League 1 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 35 | 1 | ||
| Total | 112 | 11 | 10 | 1 | — | 22 | 0 | 144 | 12 | |||
| Career total | 415 | 41 | 34 | 4 | 28 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 504 | 47 | ||
International Goals
- Results list South Korea's goal tally first..
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 September 2008 | Seoul, South Korea |  Jordan |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 14 November 2008 | Doha, Qatar |  Qatar |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 16 May 2010 | Seoul, South Korea |  Ecuador |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 17 June 2010 | Johannesburg, South Africa |  Argentina |
1–2 | 1–4 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
| 5 | 26 June 2010 | Port Elizabeth, South Africa |  Uruguay |
1–1 | 1–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
| 6 | 15 November 2013 | Seoul, South Korea |  Switzerland |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 3 September 2015 | Hwaseong, South Korea |  Laos |
1–0 | 8–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 1 September 2016 | Seoul, South Korea |  China |
2–0 | 3–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 22 March 2019 | Ulsan, South Korea |  Bolivia |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
Awards and Trophies
FC Seoul
- Korean League Cup: 2006
Crystal Palace
- FA Cup runner-up: 2015–16 (Finished second)
Ulsan HD
- AFC Champions League: 2020 (Won)
- K League 1: 2022, 2023, 2024 (Won)
- Korea Cup runner-up: 2020, 2024 (Finished second)
South Korea U20
- AFC Youth Championship third place: 2006
South Korea
- AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 2015 (Finished second)
Individual Awards
- Korean League Cup top assist provider: 2007
- K League 1 Best XI: 2008, 2022 (Chosen as one of the best players)
- 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
Images for kids
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Lee with Crystal Palace in 2016
See also
In Spanish: Lee Chung-yong para niños
