Ryang Yong-gi

In this Korean name, the family name is Ryang.

Ryang Yong-gi (Korean: 량용기; Hancha: 梁勇基; born 7 January 1982) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.^[1] Born in Japan, he represented North Korea internationally.

Ryang Yong-gi

Yong-gi with DPR Korea in 2012
Personal information
Date of birth	(1982-01-07) 7 January 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth	Tadaoka, Osaka, Japan
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2003	Hannan University
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2019	Vegalta Sendai	522	(76)
2020–2022	Sagan Tosu	29	(0)
2022–2023	Vegalta Sendai	26	(0)
International career‡
2008–2017	North Korea	26	(7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 December 2023, 14:44 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 July 2020, 16:20 (UTC)

Ryang Yong-gi
Chosŏn'gŭl	량용기
Hancha	梁勇基
Revised Romanization	Yang Yonggi
McCune–Reischauer	Ryang Yonggi

Ryang served as the captain of his club where he played as a creative midfielder.^[2]

Ryang has made one appearance for the Korea DPR national football team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying rounds ^[3] and was named as one of the North Korean squad for the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup.^[4] Ryang won the Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards at the competition that guided Korea DPR to win the title and qualify for 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

During the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Ryang was out driving when it hit. "I thought my tires had gone flat or I had driven over the curb, but the shaking continued and I saw the windows of shops shaking too," he recalled. "I knew it was a bad one and rushed home to see my wife." Ryang and his heavily pregnant wife spent the night sleeping in their car, fearful of further damage to buildings in an urban landscape that suffered severe wreckage.^[5]

In the aftermath of the disaster, Ryang and his teammates made frequent visits to affected areas to lend support.^[5]

Career statistics

Club

As of the end 2023 season^[6][7]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Vegalta Sendai	2004	J2 League	32	2	2	0	—		—		34	2
	2005		39	6	1	0	—		—		40	6
	2006		42	4	1	0	—		—		43	4
	2007		48	8	1	0	—		—		49	8
	2008		42	13	0	0	—		—		42	13
	2009		51	14	4	1	—		—		55	15
	2010	J1 League	34	11	0	0	3	0	—		37	11
	2011		34	4	0	0	3	0	—		37	4
	2012		27	3	1	0	5	1	—		33	4
	2013		30	4	4	1	2	0	5	1	41	6
	2014		33	2	1	0	5	0	—		40	2
	2015		33	3	3	0	5	1	—		41	4
	2016		26	0	0	0	1	0	—		27	0
	2017		24	2	1	0	1	0	—		26	2
	2018		14	0	2	0	3	0	—		19	0
	2019		13	0	0	0	8	1	—		21	1
	Total		522	76	21	2	36	3	5	1	584	81
Sagan Tosu	2020	J1 League	22	0	-	-	2	0	—		24	0
	2021		7	0	0	0	1	0	—		8	0
	Total		29	0	0	0	3	0	ー	ー	32	0
Vegalta Sendai	2022	J2 League	15	-	1	0	-	-	—		16	0
	2023		11	0	2	0	-	-	—		13	0
Career total			577	76	24	2	39	3	5	1	645	81

International

As of match played 18 July 2020^[6]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
North Korea
	2008	2	0
	2009	1	0
	2010	7	5
	2011	9	0
	2012	3	1
	2013	0	0
	2014	0	0
	2015	3	1
	2016	0	0
	2017	1	0
Total		26	7

International goals

As of goal scored on 14 January 2015^[6]

Scores and results list North Korea's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ryang goal.

List of international goals scored by Ryang Yong-gi

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	17 February 2010	Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka	Turkmenistan	1–0	1–1	2010 AFC Challenge Cup
2	21 February 2010	Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka	India	1–0	3–0	2010 AFC Challenge Cup
3				3–0
4	27 February 2010	Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka	Turkmenistan	1–0	1–1	2010 AFC Challenge Cup
5	31 December 2010	Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha, Qatar	Turkmenistan	1–0	1–0	Friendly
6	9 December 2012	Hong Kong Stadium, Wanchai, Hong Kong	Hong Kong	2–0	4–0	2013 EAFF East Asian Cup Preliminary round 2
7	14 January 2015	AAMI Park, Melbourne, Australia	Saudi Arabia	1–0	1–4	2015 AFC Asian Cup

Honours

Vegalta Sendai

• J. League Division 2: 2009

North Korea

• AFC Challenge Cup: 2010

Individual

• Individual Fair-Play Award: 2011
• Monthly Best Goal: 2015

References

1. "Stats Centre: Ryang Yong-gi Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
2. "Jong poised to fire Chollima". FIFA. 3 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 September 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
3. Ryang Yong-gi – FIFA competition record (archived)
4. 梁勇基選手 2010AFCチャレンジカップ及び朝鮮民主主義人民共和国代表強化合宿参加のお知らせ. Vegalta Sendai official site. 14 January 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
5. Paul Gittings and Yoko Wakatsuki (28 August 2013). "Korea United: Football hero Ryang Yong-gi's ambitious goal". CNN.
6. Ryang Yong-gi at National-Football-Teams.com
7. Ryang Yong-gi at Soccerway

External links

• Ryang Yong-gi – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Ryang Yong-gi at National-Football-Teams.com
• Ryang Yong-gi at Soccerway
• Ryang Yong-gi at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)