Pohang Steelers facts for kids
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| Full name | Football Club Pohang Steelers 포항 스틸러스 프로축구단 |
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| Founded | 1 April 1973 (as POSCO FC) |
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| Ground | Pohang Steel Yard | ||
| Capacity | 17,443 | ||
| Owner | POSCO | ||
| Chairman | Shin Young-gwon | ||
| Manager | Park Tae-ha | ||
| League | K League 1 | ||
| 2024 | K League 1, 6th of 12 | ||
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The Pohang Steelers (Hangul: 포항 스틸러스) is a professional football club from Pohang, South Korea. They play in the K League 1, which is the top football league in South Korea.
The club started on April 1, 1973, as POSCO FC. It was named after the steel company POSCO, which still owns the team today. The Pohang Steelers are one of South Korea's most successful teams. They have won the K League five times and the AFC Champions League three times.
Contents
Club History: From POSCO FC to Steelers
The club began as Pohang Iron & Steel Company FC in 1973. At first, they were a semi-professional team, meaning some players had other jobs. In 1984, they became a fully professional club and changed their name to POSCO Dolphins. A year later, they were called POSCO Atoms.
Early Success and Name Changes
The team won its first K League championship in 1986. From 1985 to 1998, they were always one of the top four teams in the league. In 1995, the club changed its name again to Pohang Atoms. This was to connect more with the local area. In 1997, they became the Pohang Steelers, which is their name today. They also won the Asian Champions Cup in 1997 and 1998.
Bouncing Back in the 2000s
In the early 2000s, the Steelers had some tough years. But they came back strong! In 2004, they reached the K League final but lost in a penalty shootout.
In 2007, they won the K League championship play-off. They beat Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, even though Seongnam finished first in the regular season. Pohang won both games, showing great teamwork.
Asian Champions and FIFA Club World Cup
In 2008, Pohang won the Korean FA Cup. This win helped them qualify for the 2009 AFC Champions League. In 2009, the Steelers made it to their first-ever AFC Champions League final. They beat Al-Ittihad from Saudi Arabia 2–1 in Tokyo, Japan, to win the title! This was their third Asian championship.
After winning the AFC Champions League, Pohang played in the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup in December. They finished in third place after winning a penalty shootout against Atlante from Mexico.
Recent Triumphs and New Managers
Under new manager Hwang Sun-hong, the team played with a special style called 'Steel Taka'. They won the Korean FA Cup in 2012 and 2013. They also won the 2013 K League title in 2013.
In April 2019, Kim Gi-dong became the new manager. He helped Pohang get back to the top of the league. In 2020, they finished third and qualified for the AFC Champions League. In 2021, they reached the final of the AFC Champions League but finished as runners-up.
In 2023, Pohang celebrated their 50th anniversary by winning the FA Cup. This was their first FA Cup win in ten years. After Kim Gi-dong left in December 2023, Park Tae-ha became the new manager. In 2024, they won the Korea Cup (which is the new name for the FA Cup). They beat their rivals Ulsan HD 3–1 in extra time, winning the cup for the second year in a row!
Home Stadium: Pohang Steel Yard
Pohang's home stadium is the Pohang Steel Yard. It was built in 1990 and was the first stadium in South Korea made just for football.
The players train at the Pohang Steelers Club House. It was finished in 2001 and cost about 8 billion won (South Korean currency).
Club Culture
Supporters
The Steelers have many fan groups, like Levante, Steel Warriors, and Marines. Many members of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps also support the club.
Steelers fans have a friendly relationship with fans of Suwon Samsung Bluewings. This friendship is called the Supo Alliance. Suwon's fan group even helped raise money for Pohang after a big storm.
Rivalries
The club's biggest rival is Ulsan HD. Their matches are called the Donghaean Derby. Pohang and Ulsan are close cities and both have big industries. Pohang has POSCO (steel), and Ulsan has HD Hyundai (shipbuilding).
One famous match was in 2013. Pohang needed to beat Ulsan away from home to win the league title. Kim Won-il scored the winning goal very late in the game, giving Pohang their fifth K League title! Pohang also beat Ulsan in the 2024 Korea Cup final.
Another rival is Jeonnam Dragons. This club is also owned by POSCO and is located in Gwangyang, where POSCO has another large steelworks.
Team Kits
Over the years, the Pohang Steelers have worn different kits. In 1994, they wore green or white kits. In 1997, they had white shirts with black stripes. In 2000, their home kit was sky blue, and their away kit was black and red hoops. In 2002, the kit was red with a black "V" shape.
Kit Suppliers
| Kit supplier | Period |
|---|---|
| Adidas | 1984–1987, 1990–1992 |
| Prospecs | 1987–1989, 1993–1995 |
| Adidas | 1996–2001 |
| Diadora | 2002 |
| Puma | 2003–2005 |
| Kappa | 2006–2012 |
| Atemi | 2013–2014 |
| Hummel | 2015–2016 |
| Astore | 2017–2020 |
| Puma | 2021–present |
Current Players
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Players on Loan
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Club Achievements: Trophies and Titles
The Pohang Steelers have won many important titles both in South Korea and across Asia.
Domestic Trophies
League Titles
- K League 1
- Winners (5): 1986, 1988, 1992, 2007, 2013
- Runners-up (5): 1985, 1987, 1995, 2004, 2023
Cup Competitions
- FA Cup
- Winners (6): 1996, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2023, 2024
- Runners-up (3): 2001, 2002, 2007
- League Cup
- Winners (2): 1993, 2009
- Runners-up (2): 1996, 1997
- President's Cup
- Winners (1): 1974
International Trophies
Continental Competitions
- AFC Champions League
- Winners (3): 1996–97, 1997–98, 2009
- Runners-up (1): 2021
Worldwide Competitions
- FIFA Club World Cup
- Third place (1): 2009
Managers Through the Years
| No. | Manager | Period | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Han Hong-ki |
May 2, 1973 – November 29, 1984 | |
| 2 | Choi Eun-taek |
November 29, 1984 – December 16, 1986 | 1986 K League |
| 3 | Lee Hoe-taik |
December 16, 1986 – December 31, 1992 | 1988 K League, 1992 K League |
| C | Kim Soon-ki Kim Chul-soo |
1989 | |
| C | Cho Yoon-ok |
1989–1990 | |
| 4 | Huh Jung-moo |
1993 – November 25, 1995 | 1993 League Cup |
| C | Kim Soon-ki |
1994 | |
| 5 | Park Sung-hwa |
December 12, 1995 – July 31, 2000 | 1996 FA Cup, 1996–97 Asian Club Championship, 1997–98 Asian Club Championship |
| 6 | Choi Soon-ho |
August 1, 2000 – December 5, 2004 | |
| 7 |  Sérgio Farias |
January 6, 2005 – December 20, 2009 | 2007 K League, 2008 FA Cup, 2009 League Cup, 2009 AFC Champions League |
| 8 | Waldemar Lemos |
January 8 – May 10, 2010 | |
| C | Park Chang-hyun |
May 11 – November 7, 2010 | |
| 9 | Hwang Sun-hong |
December 13, 2010 – November 29, 2015 | 2012 FA Cup, 2013 FA Cup, 2013 K League |
| 10 | Choi Jin-cheul |
December 28, 2015 – September 24, 2016 | |
| 11 | Choi Soon-ho |
September 26, 2016 – April 22, 2019 | |
| 12 | Kim Gi-dong |
April 23, 2019 – December 14, 2023 | 2023 FA Cup |
| 13 | Park Tae-ha |
December 15, 2023 – present | 2024 FA Cup |
- Names in italics mean they were a temporary manager.
Images for kids
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Pohang defeated Al-Ittihad in Tokyo to win their third Asian championship title in 2009
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Fans at the Pohang Steel Yard, the first football-specific stadium in South Korea
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Pohang supporters in the safe standing section at the Steel Yard during an AFC Champions League Elite match in 2024
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Pohang away supporters at the Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium for the Donghaean Derby
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Pohang Steelers celebrating their third AFC Champions League title in 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Football Club Pohang Steelers para niños
