Lee Dong-gook facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lee Dong-gook

Lee in 2020
Personal information
Birth name	Lee Dong-gook
Date of birth	(1979-04-29) 29 April 1979 (age 46)
Place of birth	Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1995–1997	Pohang Jecheol Technical High School [ko]
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2007	Pohang Steelers	102	(38)
2000–2001	→ Werder Bremen (loan)	7	(0)
2003–2005	→ Gwangju Sangmu (draft)	46	(12)
2007–2008	Middlesbrough	23	(0)
2008	Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma	10	(2)
2009–2020	Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors	356	(162)
Total		544	(214)
International career
1998–1999	South Korea U20	9	(6)
1999–2002	South Korea U23	29	(20)
1998–2017	South Korea	105	(33)
Medal record Representing  South Korea Men's football AFC Asian Cup Bronze 2000 Lebanon Team Bronze 2007 Indonesia/Malaysia /Thailand/Vietnam Team Asian Games Bronze 2002 Busan Team AFC Youth Championship Gold 1998 Thailand Team EAFF Championship Silver 2010 Japan Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lee Dong-gook (Hangul: 이동국; Hanja: 李同國; Korean pronunciation: [i.doŋ.ɡuk̚]; born on April 29, 1979) is a former professional footballer from South Korea. He played as a striker, which means he was a forward player who focused on scoring goals. Lee is famous for being the top scorer in the K League 1, which is South Korea's main football league. He also played for teams in Europe, like Werder Bremen in Germany and Middlesbrough in England. He represented the South Korea national football team in two FIFA World Cups and three AFC Asian Cup tournaments.

Lee's Club Football Journey

Starting with Pohang Steelers

In 1998, Lee Dong-gook began his professional football career with the K League club Pohang Steelers. He chose to play professionally instead of going to university. In his first season, he scored eleven goals and was named the Rookie of the Year. He also helped Pohang Steelers win the Asian Club Championship that same year.

In 2001, Lee went to Germany to play for Bundesliga club Werder Bremen on loan. However, he found it hard to settle in and only played seven matches as a substitute over six months.

In 2006, Lee was playing very well, scoring six goals in seven league matches. But in April 2006, he got a serious knee injury during a league game. This injury kept him out of action for six months and meant he couldn't play in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Playing for Gwangju Sangmu

In South Korea, all men must complete military service. In March 2003, Lee joined Gwangju Sangmu, which is a football team for military personnel. This allowed him to continue playing football while fulfilling his national duty.

Time with Middlesbrough

In January 2007, Lee moved to England to play for Premier League club Middlesbrough. He signed an 18-month contract. He made his first appearance on February 24, 2007, coming on as a substitute. He scored his first goal for Middlesbrough in August 2007 in a League Cup match. He scored another goal in the FA Cup in January 2008. However, he didn't score any goals in his 23 Premier League appearances. His contract ended in 2008, and Middlesbrough did not extend it.

Success with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

After a brief time with Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in 2008, Lee transferred to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2009. This move turned out to be a huge success for him. In the 2009 K League, Lee became the top scorer with 21 goals in 29 games. Jeonbuk also won their first-ever league championship that year. Lee was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his amazing performance.

In the 2011 K League, Lee continued to shine, scoring 16 goals and making 15 assists in 29 matches. He helped Jeonbuk win their second league title. He was again named MVP and also became the top assist provider. He also led Jeonbuk to the 2011 AFC Champions League Final, scoring nine goals in the tournament. Although Jeonbuk lost the final, Lee was named MVP and top scorer of the Champions League. On March 3, 2012, Lee became the K League's all-time leading scorer with 117 goals.

In 2013, something unusual happened in a K League match. Lee accidentally scored a goal from far away while trying to return the ball to the opposing goalkeeper after a break in play. To show good sportsmanship, Jeonbuk's goalkeeper then intentionally scored an own goal to put the scores back to how they were.

Lee won his third and fourth MVP awards as Jeonbuk won more K League titles in 2014 and 2015. On March 15, 2016, Lee scored his 30th AFC Champions League goal, becoming the all-time top scorer in the competition. On November 26, 2016, Lee and Jeonbuk won the 2016 AFC Champions League by defeating Al Ain in the final.

On June 2, 2019, he scored his 200th career goal for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. On May 9, 2020, Lee scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Suwon Samsung Bluewings. This game was special because it was one of the first league matches played in the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lee played his final game on November 1, 2020, after a 23-year career. He had his retirement ceremony right after the game. This match was the last round of the 2020 K League 1, and Jeonbuk won their fourth league title in a row. On November 8, 2020, he played his very last match as a substitute in the 2020 Korean FA Cup final, winning one last trophy.

Lee's International Career

Early National Team Appearances

Lee Dong-gook was part of the South Korea national football team for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He played one match against the Netherlands as a substitute. After the World Cup, he helped South Korea win the AFC Youth Championship. He was named the tournament's MVP and top scorer.

Lee also played in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup. He scored three goals against Indonesia, helping South Korea get their only win in the group stage. He scored a "golden goal" in extra time against Iran in the quarter-finals. He also scored in the semi-finals against Saudi Arabia. He became the top goalscorer of the tournament with six goals.

In 2002, Lee was not chosen for the 2002 FIFA World Cup team. Fans sometimes called him "Lazy Genius" because they felt he didn't always use his full potential. The coach at the time, Guus Hiddink, looked for players with strong stamina and speed, which were areas Lee sometimes struggled with. Lee later shared that he didn't watch any games during the 2002 World Cup.

Later National Team Challenges

Lee was the first-choice striker for Korea before the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, a knee injury during a K League match meant he had to miss the tournament. In 2007, Lee faced a ban from the national team for twelve months. This was because he and some teammates went out late during the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

Lee was chosen as a reserve striker for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He came on as a substitute in a match against Uruguay. He had a great chance to score but missed, and South Korea lost the game. This led to a lot of criticism from fans.

Lee played in the qualifiers for the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup. However, he was not part of the final teams for those tournaments.

Lee's Personal Life

Lee Dong-gook married Lee Soo-jin, who was a runner-up in the Miss Korea pageant in 1997, in December 2005. They have five children: twin daughters Lee Jae-si and Lee Jae-ah (born in 2007), twin daughters Lee Seol-ah and Lee Soo-ah (born in 2013), and a son named Lee Si-an (born in 2014), who is also known as Daebak.

Lee and his five children appeared on the popular TV show The Return of Superman from 2015 to 2019. This show features famous Korean fathers taking care of their children for 48 hours without their wives. Lee was the first person on the show to have five children to look after.

In December 2022, Lee signed with Think Entertainment, a company that manages celebrities.

Lee's Achievements and Awards

Player Honours

Pohang Steelers

• Asian Club Championship: 1997–98
• Korean FA Cup runner-up: 2001, 2002

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

• K League 1: 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
• Korean FA Cup: 2020
• AFC Champions League: 2016

South Korea U20

• AFC Youth Championship: 1998

South Korea U23

• Asian Games bronze medal: 2002

South Korea

• AFC Asian Cup third place: 2000, 2007
• EAFF Championship runner-up: 2010

Individual Awards

• AFC Youth Championship Most Valuable Player: 1998
• AFC Youth Championship top goalscorer: 1998
• K League All-Star Game Most Valuable Player: 1998, 2001, 2003, 2012
• K League Rookie of the Year: 1998
• AFC Asian Cup top goalscorer: 2000
• AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 2000
• AFC Asian All-Star: 2000
• Korean FA Goal of the Year: 2004
• K League 1 top goalscorer: 2009
• K League 1 Most Valuable Player: 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015
• K League FANtastic Player: 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015
• K League 1 Best XI: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
• EAFF Championship top goalscorer: 2010
• K League 1 top assist provider: 2011
• AFC Champions League top goalscorer: 2011
• AFC Champions League Most Valuable Player: 2011
• K League Hall of Fame: 2023

Records

• K League all-time top goalscorer: 228 goals

Television Personality Awards

Images for kids

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  Lee in 2020

See also

In Spanish: Lee Dong-gook para niños