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Pohang Steelers
포항 스틸러스
Pohang Steelers emblem (5 stars).svg
Full name Football Club Pohang Steelers
포항 스틸러스 프로축구단
Nickname(s) Pohang Steelers
Short name FCPS
Founded 1 April 1973; 50 years ago (1 April 1973)
(as POSCO FC)
Ground Pohang Steel Yard
Ground Capacity 17,443
Owner POSCO
Chairman Shin Young-gwon
Manager Kim Gi-dong
League K League 1
2022 K League 1, 3rd of 12

The Pohang Steelers (Hangul: 포항 스틸러스) are a South Korean professional football club based in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province that compete in the K League 1, the top flight of South Korean football. The Steelers were founded on 1 April 1973 and were originally called POSCO FC after the steel-making company POSCO, which still owns the club today. They are one of South Korea's most successful teams, having won the K League five times and the AFC Champions League three times.

History

The club was founded on 1 April 1973 as the Pohang Iron and Steel Company Football Club (POSCO FC). Initially a semi-professional club, they turned professional in the 1984 season and changed its name to POSCO Dolphins. A year later they renamed as the POSCO Atoms. In 1986 they won their first Championship, and enjoyed a great spell of domination in the league; between 1985 and 1998 they were continuously in the top four of the K League.

In 1995 the club was renamed again, becoming the Pohang Atoms. This name change was an attempt to further strengthen local ties with the region, and in 1997 they adopted their current name, the Pohang Steelers. The team won the Asian Champions Cup in 1997 and 1998.

In the 2000s, the club struggled near the bottom of the table, but bounced back to the forefront of South Korean football by winning the first stage of the 2004 K League Championship. The club qualified for the final Championship match of the 2004 season, but lost 4–3 on penalties to Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

In 2007, the club won the Championship play-off by beating Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma, who finished in first place in the regular season of the K League. Pohang won the first leg 3–1 at home, and then traveled to Seongnam for the second leg game, recording a 1–0 victory to seal a 4–1 aggregate triumph. The Steelers had ended the K League season in fifth place, but then defeated Gyeongnam FC, Ulsan Hyundai Horang-i, Suwon Samsung Bluewings and finally Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in the play-offs to win the championship.

Pohang again made the play-offs in the 2008 season by finishing the season in fifth place, but were knocked out in their play-off game by Ulsan Hyundai after the penalty shoot-out. However, the club fared much better in the 2008 Korean FA Cup. After beating Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma in the quarter-finals, Pohang knocked out Daegu FC in the semi-finals and then defeated Gyeongnam FC in the final to ensure qualification for the 2009 AFC Champions League.

In the 2009 AFC Champions League, the Steelers defeated Umm-Salal of Qatar 4–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals to advance to their first ever AFC Champions League final. The Steelers defeated Saudi club Al-Ittihad 2–1 at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan to claim the title. For the 2009 K League season, Pohang once again qualified for the play-off phase of the league by finishing the regular season in second place, equal with FC Seoul on points, but ahead on goal difference. The Steelers had a bye to the semi-finals, but lost to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma. Nonetheless, their regular season placing saw them qualify for the 2010 AFC Champions League Group stage.

Following the conclusion of the 2009 K League season, at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup in December, the Steelers finished in third place after defeating Mexican side Atlante 4–3 on penalties.

Kits

In 1994, POSCO Atoms wore a green kit and a white kit with a multicoloured sun in the middle. In 1997, Pohang Steelers wore a white shirt with black stripes on the shoulders and black shorts. In 2000, the first kit consisted of a sky blue shirt and white shorts, while the away kit was a black and red hooped shirt with black shorts (similar to the current kit). In 2002 the kit was red with a black "V" on the chest.

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

Honours

2009 AFC Champions League Final - Pohang Steelers celebrate
Pohang Steelers celebrating their third AFC Champions League title in 2009.

Domestic

League

Winners (5): 1986, 1988, 1992, 2007, 2013
Runners-up (4): 1985, 1987, 1995, 2004
  • Korean National Semi-Professional Football League
Winners (5): 1975 Spring, 1981 Fall, 1982, 1986 Fall, 1988 Fall
Runners-up (2): 1977, 1989 Spring

Cups

  • FA Cup
Winners (4): 1996, 2008, 2012, 2013
Runners-up (3): 2001, 2002, 2007
  • League Cup
Winners (2): 1993, 2009
Runners-up (2): 1996, 1997s
  • National Football Championship
Runners-up (2): 1977, 1985
  • President's Cup
Winners (1): 1974
Runners-up (1): 1989

International

Continental

Winners (3): 1996–97, 1997–98, 2009
Runners-up (1): 2021
  • Asian Super Cup
Runners-up (2): 1997, 1998
  • A3 Champions Cup
Runners-up (1): 2005

Worldwide

Third place (1): 2009
  • Afro-Asian Club Championship
Runners-up (2): 1997, 1998

Invitational

  • DCM Trophy
Winners (1): 1988
Runners-up (1): 1989
  • King's Cup
Runners-up (1): 1987

Season-by-season records

Season Division Tms. Pos. FA Cup AFC CL
1983 1 5 4
1984 1 8 5
1985 1 8 2
1986 1 6 1
1987 1 5 2
1988 1 5 1
1989 1 6 4
1990 1 6 3
1991 1 6 3
1992 1 6 1
1993 1 6 4
1994 1 7 3
1995 1 8 2
1996 1 9 3 Winners
1997 1 10 4 Semi-final Winners
1998 1 10 3 Semi-final Winners
1999 1 10 5 Round of 16 Quarter-final
2000 1 10 9 Quarter-final
2001 1 10 5 Runners-up
2002 1 10 6 Runners-up
2003 1 12 7 Quarter-final
2004 1 13 2 Round of 32
2005 1 13 5 Quarter-final
2006 1 14 3 Round of 16
2007 1 14 1 Runners-up
2008 1 14 5 Winners Group stage
2009 1 15 3 Quarter-final Winners
2010 1 15 9 Round of 16 Quarter-final
2011 1 16 3 Semi-final
2012 1 16 3 Winners Group stage
2013 1 14 1 Winners Group stage
2014 1 12 4 Round of 16 Quarter-final
2015 1 12 3 Quarter-final
2016 1 12 9 Round of 32 Group stage
2017 1 12 7 Round of 32
2018 1 12 4 Round of 32
2019 1 12 4 Round of 32
2020 1 12 3 Semi-final
2021 1 12 9 Quarter-final Runners-up
2022 1 12 3 Quarter-final
Key
  • Tms. = Number of teams
  • Pos. = Position in league

AFC Champions League record

Season Round Opposition Home Away Agg.
2008 Group E Australia Adelaide United 0–2 0–1 3rd
Vietnam Becamex Binh Duong 0–0 4–1
China Changchun Yatai 2–2 0–1
2009 Group H Australia Central Coast Mariners 3–2 0–0 1st
Japan Kawasaki Frontale 1–1 2–0
China Tianjin TEDA 1–0 0–0
Round of 16 Australia Newcastle Jets 6–0 N/A N/A
Quarter-final Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 4–1 (aet) 1–3 5–4
Semi-final Qatar Umm-Salal 2–0 2–1 4–1
Final Saudi Arabia Al-Ittihad 2–1 N/A
2010 Group H Australia Adelaide United 0–0 0–1 2nd
Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2–1 3–4
China Shandong Luneng 1–0 2–1
Round of 16 Japan Kashima Antlers N/A 1–0 N/A
Quarter-final Iran Zob Ahan 1–1 1–2 2–3
2012 Play-off Thailand Chonburi 2–0 N/A N/A
Group E Japan Gamba Osaka 2–0 3–0 3rd
Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 0–2 0–1
Australia Adelaide United 1–0 0–1
2013 Group G China Beijing Guoan 0–0 0–2 3rd
Uzbekistan Bunyodkor 1–1 2–2
Japan Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1–1 1–0
2014 Group E Japan Cerezo Osaka 1–1 2–0 1st
Thailand Buriram United 0–0 2–1
China Shandong Luneng 2–2 4–2
Round of 16 South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1–0 2–1 3–1
Quarter-final South Korea FC Seoul 0–0 0–0 (aet) 0–0
(0–3 p)
2016 Play-off Vietnam Hanoi 3–0 N/A N/A
Group H China Guangzhou Evergrande 0–2 0–0 4th
Japan Urawa Red Diamonds 1–0 1–1
Australia Sydney FC 0–1 0–1
2021 Group G Thailand Ratchaburi Mitr Phol 2–0 0–0 2nd
Japan Nagoya Grampus 1–1 0–3
Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 4–1 2–0
Round of 16 Japan Cerezo Osaka N/A 1–0 N/A
Quarter-final Japan Nagoya Grampus 3–0 N/A
Semi-final South Korea Ulsan Hyundai 1–1 (aet)
(5–4 p)
N/A
Final Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal N/A 0–2 N/A

Current squad

No. Position Player
1 South Korea GK Yoon Pyeong-gook
2 South Korea DF Sim Sang-min
3 South Korea DF Lee Kwang-joon
4 South Korea MF Lee Soo-bin
5 Australia DF Alex Grant
6 South Korea MF Sin Jin-ho (captain)
7 South Korea MF Lim Sang-hyub
8 South Korea FW Heo Yong-joon
11 South Korea MF Goh Young-joon
12 South Korea FW Kim Seung-dae
13 South Korea DF Kim Yong-hwan
14 South Korea DF Park Seung-wook
15 South Korea DF Park Kun
16 South Korea MF Lee Seung-mo
17 South Korea DF Shin Kwang-hoon
18 South Korea FW Lee Ho-jae
20 South Korea DF Park Chan-yong
22 South Korea MF Lee Gwang-hyeok
No. Position Player
23 South Korea MF Roh Kyung-ho
24 South Korea FW Yun Min-ho
26 South Korea MF Cho Jae-hoon
27 South Korea FW Jeong Jae-hee
28 South Korea MF Kim Jin-hyun
31 South Korea GK Kang Hyeon-mu
32 South Korea GK Lee Seung-hwan
33 South Korea DF Choi Do-yoon
34 South Korea DF Lee Gyu-baeg
41 South Korea GK Cho Sung-hoon
44 South Korea DF Kim Min-kyu
45 South Korea DF Ha Chang-rae
66 South Korea MF Kim Jun-ho
77 Brazil FW Wanderson
88 South Korea MF Kwon Ki-pyo
91 South Korea GK Ryu Won-woo
99 South Korea FW Lee Ji-yong

Out on loan

No. Position Player
South Korea GK Hwang In-jae (at Gimcheon Sangmu for military duty)
South Korea GK Noh Ji-hun (at Jinju Citizen)
South Korea DF Jeon Min-gwang (at Goyang KH)
South Korea DF Kim Ju-hwan (at FC Anyang)
South Korea DF Kim Ryun-seong (at Gimcheon Sangmu for military duty)
South Korea DF Park Keon-woo (at Sagan Tosu)
No. Position Player
South Korea MF Kim Kyu-pyo (at Hwaseong FC)
South Korea MF Kim Yong-hak (at Portimonense)
South Korea MF Yang Tae-ryul (at Jeonju Citizen)
South Korea MF Yoon Seok-ju (at Gimcheon Sangmu for military duty)
South Korea FW Jung Sung-ho (at Seoul E-Land)
South Korea FW Lee Hyun-il (at FC Namdong)

Club officials

Position Name
Director of Football South Korea Jang Young-bok
Manager South Korea Kim Gi-dong
Assistant manager South Korea Kim Dae-keon
First Team coach South Korea Lee Gwang-jae
Goalkeeper coach South Korea Park Ho-jin
Fitness coach Brazil Juninho Brilhante
South Korea Park Hyo-jun
Athletic coach South Korea Lee Jong-gyu
South Korea Kang Dong-hoon
Match analyst South Korea Park Cheol-ho
Physiotherapist South Korea Byeon Jong-keun
Interpreter South Korea Ki Ji-yong
Power analyzer South Korea Lee Chang-ju
Director of youth department South Korea Choi Soon-ho
Kit manager South Korea Lee Sang-yeol

Managers

No. Manager Period Honours
1 South Korea Hong-ki, HanHan Hong-ki 2 May 1973 – 29 November 1984
2 South Korea Eun-taek, ChoiChoi Eun-taek 29 November 1984 – 16 December 1986 1986 K League
3 South Korea Hoe-taik, LeeLee Hoe-taik 16 December 1986 – 31 December 1992 1988 K League, 1992 K League
C South Korea Soon-ki, KimKim Soon-ki
South Korea Chul-soo, KimKim Chul-soo
1989
C South Korea Yoon-ok, ChoCho Yoon-ok 1989–1990
4 South Korea Jung-moo, HuhHuh Jung-moo 1993 – 25 November 1995 1993 League Cup
C South Korea Soon-ki, KimKim Soon-ki 1994
5 South Korea Sung-hwa, ParkPark Sung-hwa 12 December 1995 – 31 July 2000 1996 FA Cup, 1996–97 Asian Club Championship, 1997–98 Asian Club Championship
6 South Korea Soon-ho, ChoiChoi Soon-ho 1 August 2000 – 5 December 2004
7 Brazil Farias, SérgioSérgio Farias 6 January 2005 – 20 December 2009 2007 K League, 2008 FA Cup, 2009 League Cup, 2009 AFC Champions League
8 Brazil Lemos, WaldemarWaldemar Lemos 8 January – 10 May 2010
C South Korea Chang-hyun, ParkPark Chang-hyun 11 May – 7 November 2010
9 South Korea Sun-hong, HwangHwang Sun-hong 13 December 2010 – 29 November 2015 2012 FA Cup, 2013 FA Cup, 2013 K League
10 South Korea Jin-cheul, ChoiChoi Jin-cheul 28 December 2015 – 24 September 2016
11 South Korea Soon-ho, ChoiChoi Soon-ho 26 September 2016 – 22 April 2019
12 South Korea Gi-dong, KimKim Gi-dong 23 April 2019 – present
  • Names in italics indicates interim or caretaker manager

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Football Club Pohang Steelers para niños

  • List of football clubs in South Korea
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