Kim Joo-sung (born 17 January 1966) is a former South Korean football player. Kim is regarded as one of the greatest Asian footballers of the 20th century. He was nominated for the IFFHS Asia's Player of the Century, finishing second place.
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kim Joo-sung | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 17 January 1966 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Yangyang, Gangwon, South Korea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger, sweeper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1979 | Seongsu Middle School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1982 | Choongang High School | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1986 | Chosun University | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1999 | Busan Daewoo Royals | 203 | (34) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | → VfL Bochum (loan) | 34 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 237 | (38) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984 | South Korea U20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1987 | South Korea B | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1996 | South Korea | 76 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kim Joo-sung | |
| Hangul | 김주성 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Gim Ju-seong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kim Chu-sŏng |
Club career
Kim joined Daewoo Royals in 1987. In his first professional season, he won the K League and was named the K League Young Player of the Year. On 8 October 1991 he took a part during a friendly match for the World XI.
Germany
In June 1992, Kim was loaned to a Bundesliga club VfL Bochum. He struggled with competing in the big league, during the 14th matchday against Dynamo Dresden he received a red card. Kim eventually found a better form in his last Bundesliga match versus SG Wattenscheid 09. He set up third goal and played full match, his team won 3-1. Unfortunetly Bochum was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga after the 1992–93 season. He tried to return to the Bundesliga, helping Bochum to win the 2. Bundesliga in the 1993–94 season. However, he came back to South Korea at the request of Daewoo Royals.
Return to South Korea
Originally deployed as a winger or an attacking midfielder, Kim played as a sweeper after the 1994 FIFA World Cup because the condition of his knee was exacerbated. In the 1997 season, Daewoo Royals once again won the K League with his successful change, and he received the K League MVP Award. Kim announced his retirement in 1999, and his uniform number 16 was also retired by Daewoo.
International career
Kim was selected for the South Korea national team for the 1986 FIFA World Cup, playing in a major competition for the first time. He also played for South Korea in the 1986 Asian Games, winning a gold medal.
Afterwards, Kim became the greatest footballer in Asia and South Korea. In the 1988 AFC Asian Cup, he performed a key role with great dribbles, leading South Korea to the final. He became the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, although South Korea lost to Saudi Arabia after the penalty shoot-out in the final. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player in the Asian qualification of the 1990 FIFA World Cup after South Korea won the competition without a defeat. He was voted Asian Footballer of the Year for three consecutive years from 1989 to 1991.
Kim's domination over Asia interested European clubs at the time. However, he showed poor performance in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, failing to live up to their expectations. He could go to Europe two years after the end of the World Cup.
Style of play
He was nicknamed the "Wild Horse" or the "Samson" due to his pace and long curly hair. He normally played as a winger, but he was capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or a sweeper. Kim possesed as well an exceptional level of stamina and good driblling skills.
After retirement
In September 2003 he attended a sports management masters course at De Montfort University, Leicester until February 2004 when his studies took him to Switzerland.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Busan Daewoo Royals | 1987 | K League | 28 | 10 | ? | ? | — | 28 | 10 | |
| 1988 | K League | 10 | 3 | ? | ? | — | 10 | 3 | ||
| 1989 | K League | 8 | 2 | ? | ? | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| 1990 | K League | 9 | 2 | — | — | 9 | 2 | |||
| 1991 | K League | 37 | 14 | — | — | 37 | 14 | |||
| 1992 | K League | 8 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 1994 | K League | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1995 | K League | 25 | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 1996 | K League | 20 | 2 | ? | ? | 6 | 0 | 26 | 2 | |
| 1997 | K League | 16 | 0 | ? | ? | 18 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| 1998 | K League | 13 | 0 | ? | ? | 15 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| 1999 | K League | 26 | 0 | ? | ? | 7 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
| Total | 203 | 34 | ? | ? | 52 | 1 | 255 | 35 | ||
| VfL Bochum (loan) | 1992–93 | Bundesliga | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |
| 1993–94 | 2. Bundesliga | 21 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 22 | 4 | ||
| Total | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 237 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 290 | 39 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 1985 | 8 | 3 |
| 1986 | 10 | 1 | |
| 1987 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1988 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1989 | 8 | 1 | |
| 1990 | 18 | 4 | |
| 1991 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1993 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1994 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 6 | 0 | |
| Career total | 76 | 14 | |
| Competition | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Friendlies | 14 | 3 |
| Minor competitions | 19 | 3 |
| Asian Games | 11 | 3 |
| AFC Asian Cup | 9 | 2 |
| Summer Olympics | 1 | 0 |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 13 | 3 |
| FIFA World Cup | 9 | 0 |
| Total | 76 | 14 |
- Results list South Korea's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 July 1985 | Seoul, South Korea | 1 | Indonesia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 30 July 1985 | Jakarta, Indonesia | 2 | Indonesia | 4–0 | 4–1 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 3 December 1985 | Los Angeles, United States | 5 | Mexico | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 28 September 1986 | Seoul, South Korea | 15 | China | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1986 Asian Games |
| 5 | 14 June 1987 | Daejeon, South Korea | 21 | Thailand | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1987 Korea Cup |
| 6 | 6 December 1988 | Doha, Qatar | 26 | Japan | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1988 AFC Asian Cup |
| 7 | 9 December 1988 | Doha, Qatar | 27 | Qatar | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1988 AFC Asian Cup |
| 8 | 20 October 1989 | Singapore | 35 | China | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 28 July 1990 | Beijing, China | 44 | Japan | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1990 Dynasty Cup |
| 10 | 23 September 1990 | Beijing, China | 49 | Singapore | 2–0 | 7–0 | 1990 Asian Games |
| 11 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 12 | 11 October 1990 | Pyongyang, North Korea | 54 | North Korea | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 13 | 9 June 1991 | Seoul, South Korea | 57 | Indonesia | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1991 Korea Cup |
| 14 | 11 June 1994 | Duncanville, United States | 66 | Honduras | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Honours
Busan Daewoo Royals
- K League 1: 1987, 1991, 1997
- Korean National Championship: 1989
- Korean League Cup: 1997, 1997+, 1998+
VfL Bochum
South Korea B
- Summer Universiade silver medal: 1987
South Korea
- Asian Games: 1986
- AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 1988
- Dynasty Cup: 1990
Individual
- World XI: 1991
- AFC Asian Cup Most Valuable Player: 1988
- AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 1988
- FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Most Outstanding Player: 1990
- IFFHS Asian Men's Player of the Year: 1989, 1990, 1991
- IFFHS Asia's Player of the 20th Century runner-up: 1999
- IFFHS Asian Men's Team of the 20th Century: 2021
- MasterCard Asian/Oceanian Team of the 20th Century: 1998
- Dynasty Cup Most Valuable Player: 1990
- Korean FA Best XI: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
- Korean FA Most Valuable Player: 1991
- K League Rookie of the Year: 1987
- K League 1 Best XI: 1987, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999
- K League 1 Most Valuable Player: 1997
- K League '90s All-Star Team: 2003
- K League 30th Anniversary Best XI: 2013
References
External links
- Kim Joo-sung – K League stats at kleague.com (in Korean)
- Kim Joo-sung – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Kim Joo-sung at National-Football-Teams.com